David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 280 of 23 May 2006, the number of people who have indicated their desire to decentralise to Youghal in the Public Appointments Service and Valuation Office, respectively; if decentralisation is still on target for mid 2009; if negotiations regarding the identified site for offices have been completed; the investment needed to construct these offices and any other costs involved in the proposed decentralisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33223/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) and the Valuation Office that the number of people who have indicated their desire to decentralise to Youghal with these offices is 99 and 22 respectively. In accordance with the indicative timescale set out in the report from the Decentralisation Implementation Group both offices are working towards decentralising to Youghal in mid 2009. Both the PAS and the Valuation Office are tracking non-property costs and savings and provide information to my Department on a quarterly basis. Costs incurred to date have reached €4,500.73 (not including staff cost or costs associated with the Central Applications Facility) by the PAS. There have been no costs incurred by the Valuation Office to date.

I am informed by the Office of Public Works that they are very close to finalising the purchase of a site in Youghal for the decentralised offices. If all goes according to plan, they expect to complete the purchase by the end of 2006. The costs in relation to the construction of these offices are commercially sensitive at this stage, prior to the competitive tendering process.