Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 389: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the timescale involved for decentralisation of his Department to Knock and Charlestown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4604/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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It was originally planned that my Department's headquarters would relocate to Knock Airport, Co. Mayo, but An Bord Pleanála refused planning permission for that location. In July 2007 the Government decided on Charlestown, Co. Mayo, as the new location for my Department's headquarters. The Office of Public Works is in negotiations for the purchase of a site at that location and it is not possible at this juncture to say precisely when the new headquarters will be ready. In the meantime, 76 of the 140 staff of my Department originally due to relocate to Co. Mayo have transferred to an interim location in Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo. It is planned to increase the number at the interim location to just over 100 from March 2008.