Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 157: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the impact, in view of the announcement in respect of decentralisation made in July 2008, this will have on his Department in view of the large numbers already operating from Killarney; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33900/08]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the status of the planned decentralisation of his Department; when he expects this decentralisation to be completed; if it is planned to continue with this decentralisation programme; the costs to the Exchequer to date in relation to this decentralisation programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33762/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 163 together.

The Department of Arts Sport and Tourism was designated for relocation to Killarney, Co. Kerry, under the Government's Decentralisation Programme, which was announced in the 2004 Budget. The Department, which has a staff of 130, excluding the National Archives, was designated an "early mover" by the Decentralisation Implementation Group (DIG). To date, 76 staff have relocated to temporary accommodation in Fossa, Killarney, 34 of whom were previously located in Dublin with the remainder joining the Department from provincial locations. The objective is to complete the decentralisation process of the Department by early 2009 by which time it will be operating from the new purpose built offices in Killarney.

The OPW are responsible for costs relating to both the temporary and the permanent accommodation and therefore these do not fall within my Department's Vote. The non-property costs to date amount to approximately €880,000.