Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 79: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the moneys under the decentralisation programme for the period from 3 July to date in 2008 that have been expended, properties purchased and employees decentralised specifying all relevant locations under each of these headings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32114/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the decentralisation programme, my Department is due to decentralise 250 posts to Carlow. Since 30 July 2007, 100 posts have been decentralised to an advance office in the town. For the period between 3 July and 22 September 2008, I can confirm that no moneys have been expended, no properties have been purchased and no staff have been decentralised by my Department under the decentralisation programme. The five agencies under the aegis of my Department that are due to decentralise under the decentralisation programme are Enterprise Ireland, which is moving to Shannon; the Health and Safety Authority, which is moving to Thomastown; the National Standards Authority of Ireland, which is moving to Arklow, FÁS, which is moving to Birr; and the National Consumer Agency, which is moving to Cork.

All the staff of the Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority have been based in the authority's offices in Naas since January 2006. Therefore, the authority is fully decentralised. In advance of decentralising to Thomastown, the HSA has established an interim office in Kilkenny city. It has confirmed that two staff decentralised to the interim office between 3 July and 22 September 2008. Some 27 HSA staff are located there. The HSA also confirmed that, under the decentralisation programme, no moneys have been expended and no properties have been purchased for the period in question. The other four agencies — Enterprise Ireland, the National Standards Authority of Ireland, FÁS and the National Consumer Agency — have confirmed that, under the decentralisation programme, no moneys have been expended, no properties have been purchased and no staff have been decentralised by them, for the period from 3 July to 22 September 2008.