Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 965: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources 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. [23895/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Government's Decentralisation Programme involves the relocation of my Department's headquarters to Cavan and the relocation of three bodies under its aegis, Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) to Dundalk, Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) to Dungarvan and the Central Fisheries Board (CFB) to Carrick-on-Shannon.

A permanent site has been acquired, by the Office of Public Works (OPW), for the Department's HQ in Cavan and my Department is liaising with OPW in relation to accommodation requirements there. In the meantime, temporary rental accommodation to accommodate 60 staff has already been acquired for an advance party and we have had a presence in Cavan since October 2006. Discussions are ongoing with OPW on additional temporary accommodation.

As regards SEI, temporary accommodation has been acquired in Dundalk pending a permanent move and SEI is liaising with OPW on options for permanent accommodation.

OSI is also in discussions with OPW in relation to permanent accommodation options in Dungarvan, and is carrying out a feasibility exercise in relation to a possible advance party.

OPW has recently identified a possible permanent HQ for the CFB in Carrick-on-Shannon and matters on that front are being progressed with the Board.

As the Deputy will be aware, the bulk of accommodation related costs associated with the Decentralisation Programme are to be met by the OPW. I understand 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.

Property solutions are being pursued in respect of my Department and its agencies as part of the overall Decentralisation Programme to be funded from the OPW Vote. Firm scale costs will emerge on foot of actual cost proposals being received from the market. It would not be possible to give definitive costings in advance of final agreement on specific proposals.

In relation to the operational costs of the Cavan building, some of these, such as rent, are paid by OPW. Operational costs in Cavan which are charged to the Vote of the Department are not disaggregated from such costs as arise in relation to all accommodation of the Department and therefore cannot be separately quantified.

The costs incurred by Agencies in this regard are a day to day operational matter for the agencies themselves in which I have no function.