John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1171: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress that has been made on the decentralisation of offices for his Department to Charlestown, County Mayo; when the contract for the purchase of land will be signed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31071/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware a total of 140 staff will decentralise with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to Charlestown, Co. Mayo under the Decentralisation Programme. Of this 140 staff, a total of 101 have already relocated to an interim location in Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo.

In relation to the acquisition of a site at Charlestown, terms have been agreed on a suitable site for the Department in Charlestown, Co. Mayo and the contract for the purchase of the site is currently being processed by the Chief State Solicitors Office and when the contract has been agreed approval will be sought from the Department of Finance in relation to progressing the matter.

The Deputy will be aware, however, that all decisions in relation to decentralisation have been deferred, pending a review by the Government in September, of reports from the Decentralisation Implementation Group and the Heads of Government Departments.