Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 481: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the annual costs incurred by his Department in the implementation of the decentralisation scheme for each of the past four years, broken down between property and non-property costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35554/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for acquiring property under the decentralisation programme. My Department has not incurred any property related costs to date.

The total expenditure by my Department in relation to non-property costs for the decentralisation programme for each of the last four years is set out below. This covers training, travel and subsistence, and costs associated with the establishment and ongoing maintenance of an advance office in Wexford since June 2007.

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 482: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress made by his Department on implementing the decentralisation scheme, including the number of staff who have moved under the scheme and the property bought or rented outside Dublin under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35569/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Under the decentralisation programme, a site has been acquired for my Department's Headquarter offices in Wexford. The building is under construction and expected to be completed by December 2008 and ready for occupation from February 2009. My Department will then transfer 270 posts into these offices, commencing in Q1 2009. An advance office was established in Wexford on 25 June 2007 and is currently staffed by 45 people.

The Government decision on the decentralisation programme announced on 14 October indicated that the Department's other three locations in the South-East, Waterford, New Ross and Kilkenny are being deferred pending the outcome of a review in 2011 in light of budgetary developments.

The decentralisation of the National Building Agency and the Local Government Computer Services Board is also deferred pending this review.

The provision of accommodation for my Department is a matter for the Office of Public Works.