Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 963: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the timetable for the decentralisation of his Department to Cavan; the number of staff at each grade to be decentralised; the number of applications made at each grade under the CAF for decentralisation to Cavan; the timetable for the decentralisation of an advanced party; if temporary accommodation has been obtained; the number of staff at each grade which will be facilitated in this phase of the decentralisation; if a permanent site has been obtained; the timetable for the completion of this facility; the number of staff it will cater for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1061/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's move to Cavan is scheduled to take place at the end of 2009.

An advance party of 20 staff is already working in Cavan since last October and preparations are well advanced for a second phase advance of an extra 13 staff in the coming weeks. A further advance party is being actively considered and the Department is also in consultation with OPW in relation to additional accommodation in Cavan to increase staff numbers to 50 this year.

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.

The following table details the number of posts advertised on CAF to relocate to Cavan along with of the latest summary of valid applications based on information received from the Central Applications facility to date.