Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 115: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the extent to which decentralisation proposals in respect of his Department are completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11158/08]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Following the announcement of the Government's decentralisation programme in the 2004 budget, my Department, which has a staff of 130, excluding the National Archives which is part of my Department, was designated an "early mover" by the Decentralisation Implementation Group. (DIG). To expedite the decentralisation process, temporary premises were secured by the OPW (Office of Public Works) in Fossa in 2006 from which the decentralised sections of my Department currently operate. To date, 70 staff have relocated to the temporary accommodation, in two tranches, 45 staff in September 2006 and 25 staff in July 2007.

I understand that the new permanent building is on target for completion, and it is expected to be furnished, equipped and ready for occupation by the end of the year. The objective is to complete the decentralisation process by the end of 2008 by which time the Department expects to be operating from the Department's new purpose built offices in Killarney.