Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 297: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism 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. [38887/08]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 298: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of persons who have been relocated to each of the decentralised locations established by units or agencies under his 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. [38902/08]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 299: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of staff moves that have been necessitated by the decentralisation programme in units or agencies in his Department distinguishing the moves at managerial or technical level. [38917/08]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 300: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the facilities in Dublin which units or agencies under his 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. [38932/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 297 to 300, inclusive, together.

The entire Department of Arts Sport and Tourism, excluding the National Archives, 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, was designated an "early mover" by the Decentralisation Implementation Group (DIG).

To date, 79 members of staff, who opted not to relocate to Killarney, have been released through bilateral swaps and under the Dublin Arrangements to other Departments and Offices. Of these, 36 members of staff were at a managerial level i.e. Higher Executive Officer and above.

Some 76 members of staff have relocated to temporary accommodation in Fossa, Killarney. Of these, 37 staff are at a managerial level i.e. Higher Executive Officer and above.

The temporary accommodation in Fossa, has a total area of approximately 1,100 square meters. An area of approximately 830 square meters of office space has been vacated in Dublin while an area of approximately 1,100 square meters of office space is still being occupied by Department staff in Dublin.

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, which has a total area of approximately 2,400 square meters. It will be necessary to retain some facilities for use by staff in Dublin to service the Minister and the Oireachtas, particularly when the Dail is in session, but the space for such facilities has yet to be determined.

The decentralisation of three State Agencies, under the aegis of the Department — the Arts Council, the Irish Sports Council and Fáilte Ireland — has been deferred pending a review in 2011. No capital expenditure has been incurred by these agencies in respect of decentralisation. Some minor current expenditure has been incurred related mainly to travel expenses on visits to the proposed decentralised locations.