Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 776: To ask the Minister for Defence 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. [23580/08]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Government decision on decentralisation in December 2003 provides for the transfer of all my Department's Dublin based Civil Service Staff to Newbridge, County Kildare. The contracts have been signed and work has commenced on the building. The construction of the Department's new headquarters is expected to be completed at the end of 2009. I am informed that the total estimated cost of site acquisition, construction of accommodation, furniture etc. is €30 million approx. No direct costs have been incurred to date by my Department under the Government's decentralisation programme.

In relation to the Defence Forces HQ in the Curragh, the OPW are currently in the process of preparing tender documents. Following the completion of the tendering process it is expected that construction will take approximately 18 months with the likely date for occupation being December 2010. No expenditure has yet been incurred on decentralisation buildings in the Curragh.