Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 471: To ask the Minister for Defence when and the way he plans to proceed with decentralisation in his Department; the way it will be implemented; the resources that will be made available; the extent to which it will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18429/07]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 475: To ask the Minister for Defence the position of the decentralisation of his Department to Newbridge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19112/07]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 471 and 475 together.

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 my Department's Dublin based civil service staff to Newbridge, Co. Kildare. The number of staff to be relocated to Newbridge is 200. Almost two-thirds of the staff decentralising are already in place.

The Planning Notification for the construction of office accommodation in Newbridge for my Department's new Headquarters was published on 2 July 2007. On completion of the planning process, the Office of Public Works has indicated that construction and fit-out will take 18 months to complete. It is not anticipated that any staff will move to Newbridge prior to the completion of the new building.

The decision to decentralise my Department will be implemented in full. In addition, Defence Forces' Headquarters is due to relocate to the Curragh, Co. Kildare.