Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 340: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the timetable for the decentralisation of his Department to Cavan town; if a site has been obtained for the decentralised staff; the plans there are for an advanced party to be decentralised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38704/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The Decentralisation Implementation Group (DIG) has set out that my Department's move to Cavan is scheduled to take place at the end of 2009 and arrangements to have staff in place and operational in line with that schedule will continue to be progressed.

The acquisition of sites and property for decentralisation is a matter for the Office of Public Works (OPW). Interaction with OPW on these elements is well established in my Department, informed by site visits and a thorough ongoing consultative process. In that regard I am happy to confirm that OPW has acquired a landmark site on the Farnham Road in Cavan Town to facilitate the decentralisation project. My Department has already provided an outline specification of our accommodation requirements to OPW and is currently preparing a detailed brief in this regard.

I am also happy to inform the Deputy that I formally opened new offices in Cavan town last month to facilitate the first phase of an advance party of our staff. This first phase involves 20 staff and preparations are well advanced for a second phase advance of an extra 10 staff. A further advance phase is also being actively considered.