Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 277: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress in responding to Parliamentary Question No. 568 of 2 April 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15336/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy in the earlier Parliamentary Question referred to the number of car park spaces available nationally to those working in my Department and in the bodies and agencies under the aegis of my Department; the annual cost of car park spaces rented by the Department and the bodies and agencies in question and for a statement on the matter. Staff of my Department are engaged in providing social welfare services from 135 locations throughout the country. These include 14 Headquarter buildings and 121 offices nationally.

Following receipt of information from the Office of Public Works, it has been confirmed that there are currently 1,870 car parking spaces available to staff of my Department, of which roughly 50% are located in decentralised offices such as Sligo, Letterkenny, Longford, Carrick on Shannon, Dundalk and Waterford. The balance are located in 69 local and regional offices throughout the country. In most cases, the cost of the facility is included in the annual rent of the premises as paid by the Office of Public Works. However, the specific cost of 432 car parking spaces can be established in the case of 14 Departmental offices, at an annual cost of €451,817 per annum.

The following table includes the relevant information in respect of 5 statutory bodies/ agencies operating under the aegis of my Department.