Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 26: To ask the Minister for Defence the progress in the decentralisation of his Department and components of the Defence Forces to Kildare; the number of people who have moved to date; when he expects this decentralisation to be fully achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32309/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Government decision on decentralisation, announced by the Minister for Finance in his Budget statement on 3 December 2003, provides for the transfer of all of my Department's Dublin based civil service staff to Newbridge, Co. Kildare. The number of staff to be relocated to Newbridge is 200. Sixty staff from within my Department have opted to move to Newbridge, and in addition twenty-nine staff have been assigned from other Departments to date, giving a total of 89 staff in place who will be assigned to Newbridge. I would expect to have close to my full allocation of staff in place in my Department in the next 12 to 18 months.

The Office of Public Works is in advanced negotiations with Kildare County Council in relation to the acquisition of a site in Newbridge. Once this site is acquired, I would anticipate that my Department will relocate to Newbridge by late 2008. There are currently no plans to move staff to Newbridge in advance of this date.

The Government decision on decentralisation also provides for the transfer of 300 Defence Forces Headquarters staff to the Curragh, Co. Kildare.

The brief for the new Defence Forces Headquarters building has been finalised and preliminary topographical and site investigations have been completed. The Office of Public Works is finalising the outline design currently, to enable the project to be sent to tender. It is expected that the necessary planning notification will be submitted to Kildare County Council before the end of 2006, with works commencing as soon as possible thereafter.