Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 177: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current and capital expenditure which has been incurred to date in respect of the decentralisation projects which have been deferred until a further review occurs in 2011. [38892/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement. The most recent figures for such costs are those as submitted to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance and the Public Service, via the Department of Finance, and relate to the period January 2004 to June 2008.

In addition the National Consumer Agency has confirmed that a total of €557.33 has been incurred in respect of non-capital expenditure and that no capital expenditure has been incurred.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 178: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of persons who have been relocated to each of the decentralised locations established by units or agencies under her Department; the floor areas and occupancy capacity of each of the facilities concerned; and the date by which it is intended to complete the transfer of remaining staff. [38907/08]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 179: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of staff moves that have been necessitated by the decentralisation programme in units or agencies in her Department distinguishing the moves at managerial or technical level. [38922/08]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 180: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the facilities in Dublin which units or agencies under her Department plan to vacate as a result of the decentralisation programme; the floor areas involved; and when it is planned that they will be realised. [38937/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 178 to 180, inclusive, together.

As the Deputy is aware, the Minister for Finance, in his Budget 2009 address, announced that the proposed decentralisation of a number of bodies was being deferred pending a review in 2011. This impacts on five agencies under my remit viz. FÁS, Enterprise Ireland (EI), Health and Safety Authority (HSA), National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) and National Consumer Agency (NCA).

The number of advance staff moves that have taken place up to 31 October 2008 as part of the Government's decentralisation programme, both in my Department and those agencies under my remit as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, are set out in the following tabular statement: this statement also gives the breakdown between technical staff and managerial (including administrative and non-technical staff).

The Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority (IAASA) has fully decentralised to Naas, Co Kildare with a current staff compliment of eleven, four of whom are technical and seven are managerial staff (including administrative and non-technical staff).

In parallel with the decentralisation process, EI has 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 and, as part of this process, a number of posts from Shannon Development transferred to Enterprise Ireland. The agency strengthened its regional presence by establishing its new Regional Development Headquarters in Shannon and also houses its County Enterprise Coordination Unit there. Six posts were assigned to the new office in Shannon from Dublin, to manage this new Regional HQ. Currently there are 66 staff working in the EI Shannon office, none of whom are technical. They are located in Shannon Westpark. In respect of the floor areas and occupancy capacity for the above, the information required by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement.

In respect of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the total floor area of those facilities, which are decentralising, is approximately 3,300 square metres. The occupancy capacity of those facilities is estimated to be 164. The current situation regarding the full move of over 250 people from the Department is that the formal application for planning permission for the permanent building was lodged with Carlow Town Council on 18th April 2008. Planning permission, with conditions, was granted on 12th June 2008 subject to appeal. The Office of Public Works has since advised that two objection lodged against the planning permission have been referred to An Bord Pleanála. An Bord Pleanála website indicates that the appeal cases are due to be decided by 10 November 2008. In light of this, it is difficult to provide a target date for completion of construction of the permanent office which appears is unlikely to happen before last quarter 2010. Until this is decided upon, it is not possible to give an exact floor area or the occupancy capacity of the proposed new permanent building.

In view of the proposed review taking place in 2011, it is also not possible to give details of the full extent of the floor areas of the facilities which the relevant five agencies (viz. FÁS, EI, HSA, NSAI and NCA) will be required to vacate and the timescale attaching to same.