Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 223: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the timetable for the decentralisation of the Land Registry to Roscommon Town; the number of staff at each grade to be decentralised; if the existing staff which have been transferred from the Department of Agriculture and Food to the advanced Land Registry party are inclusive of the total figure; the numbers of such staff at each grade already relocated from the Department of Agriculture and Food to the Land Registry; the grades and respective numbers of staff presently employed in the Land Registry in Roscommon; the number of applications made at each grade under the CAF for decentralisation to Roscommon Town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1053/07]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 224: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the timetable for the decentralisation of a further advanced party to the Land Registry in Roscommon Town; 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. [1054/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 224 together.

Under the timetable set out in the most recent report from the Decentralisation Implementation Group to the Minister for Finance, two hundred and thirty posts from the Property Registration Authority are scheduled to move to Roscommon by mid 2009. These posts include general service, technical and specialist grades, the precise details of which are available on the Public Appointments Service (PAS) website. In line with the central protocols under the decentralisation programme, the staff will be made up of serving officers from the Authority, staff from other areas of the Public Service who have applied for transfer to Roscommon under the Central Applications Facility (CAF), as well as staff who will have transferred from the Department of Agriculture and Food. To date, around one hundred and fifteen public servants have indicated Roscommon as their first preference under the CAF and applications continue to be accepted under the Programme.

It has been agreed that before the final move to Roscommon, an advance party of sixty-five people will be located in the town and over thirty officers have already taken up duty there, including twenty three staff from the Department of Agriculture and Food. The balance of the staff will move there in the first half of 2007 but no decision has as yet been made as to the grade profile of the officers to be included in the second advance party. The final decision on these matters will be based on operational requirements at the time and when the temporary accommodation becomes available.

The Office of Public Works has identified a site for the permanent offices in Roscommon and the matter is being progressed in the Office of the Chief State Solicitor. An architect and project team have been assigned and applications have been invited from interested developers who wish to be invited to tender for the construction of the new offices. It is anticipated that the accommodation will be completed and available for occupation by the target date of 2009 and it will cater for the Authority's full staffing complement.