Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 190: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her proposals to postpone, pending a review in 2011, the decentralisation of Enterprise Ireland to Shannon; the implications of this decision for the staff transferred to Shannon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37019/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Enterprise Ireland (EI) is to move almost 300 posts to Shannon under the decentralisation programme. Progress on the full transfer of EI's HQ to Shannon, within the Government decentralization programme, will be influenced by factors (many external to EI) such as; the level of interest in the Shannon location expressed by CAF applicants and by progress made in discussions at a central level on various issues central to agency decentralization. As indicated in the Budget speech, this position will be reviewed in 2011.

EI, working closely with the Office of Public Works (OPW), has identified, but not yet acquired, a site for the construction of a suitably sized new HQ building in Shannon. Shannon Development owns the site. In co-operation with Shannon Development and the OPW, the site was valued and a feasibility study carried out. The site occupies a prime position in Shannon and is considered suitable for a major landmark building or civic structure.

In parallel with the decentralisation process, EI strengthened its regional focus in recent years and now has a major presence in the Shannon Region in addition to its nine other regional offices. Certain functions previously carried out by Shannon Development under delegated authority from Enterprise Ireland reverted to Enterprise Ireland on 1st January 2007. The transfer of functions also involved the transfer of a number of posts from Shannon Development to Enterprise Ireland. The agency strengthened its regional presence by establishing its new Regional Development Headquarters in Shannon and also houses the County Enterprise Support Unit there.

A senior manager has been appointed as Head of Regions and Entrepreneurship to oversee the establishment of the EI presence in the Mid-West Region. EI managers with responsibility for the County Enterprise Coordination Unit and EI Regional Development strategy as well as the Regional Director with responsibility for the Mid West Regional are now in place in leased high-spec office space in Westpark, Shannon. As part of EI's regional strategy, these six posts were assigned to the new office in Shannon from Dublin, to manage this new Regional HQ. Currently there are 63 staff working in the EI Shannon office. There are no implications for these regionalised staff as a result of the recent postponement of the decentralisation of EI to Shannon.