Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 339: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the communications that have taken place between her Department and the Office of Public Works regarding the provision of additional accommodation for their Department; the specific locations under consideration for extra accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10045/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is in regular communication with the Office of Public Works, including periodic meetings at senior management level, in the matter of the provision of additional accommodation. The main locations in which additional accommodation is required include Balbriggan, Ballina, Bantry, Castlebar, Cavan, Cork, Drogheda, Galway, Killarney, Loughrea, Mallow, Newbridge, and Swords. There has been a very significant increase in the number of people applying for a jobseeker's payment in the past year. From February 2008 to February 2009 the Live Register increased by about 165,000 people.

In order to minimise delays in claim processing 190 extra staff are being allocated across the local office network. Because many local offices are very close to capacity as regards accommodating further staff, a number of central decisions units are being set up around the country in locations where the Department has the accommodation capacity. Four such units are being set up in Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon, Finglas, and Dublin city centre, and an additional 40 staff are being assigned to these units.