Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 205: To ask the Minister for Finance the individual current and capital budgets allocated by Government, whether through the Office of Public Works or through departmental and agency budgets, for the provision of new office accommodation for agencies and Departments (details supplied) as part of the decentralisation programme; the status of the process of securing new office accommodation for these agencies and Departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23083/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by both the Public Appointments Service and the Valuation Office that they have no provision in their Votes for current or capital expenditure in relation to the provision of new office accommodation in Youghal the cost will be met by the Office of Public Works.

I understand from the Office of Public Works (OPW) that of the total allocation of €833 million provided in the NDP for Decentralisation, an estimate of €60 million is provided for agencies whose costs will not be funded through the OPW vote. The balance of €773 million represents the estimated cost of providing accommodation for the Departments and agencies whose accommodation will be paid for by the OPW.

I also understand that the OPW have agreed to purchase a site comprising 1.21 hectares/2.98 acres from Cork County Council at Youghal for the sum of €1.8 million. The intention is to build new offices on the site to accommodate 100 staff from the Valuation Office and 100 staff from the Public Appointments Service, under a design/build process which will be initiated once the purchase is completed. The purchase terms were agreed with the Council in late 2006, but the draft Contract for Sale was not received from Cork County Council's Solicitors until October 2007. The draft Contract is still under negotiation with the Council on a number of title related issues.