Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 65: To ask the Minister for Finance the date by which he was scheduled to have the new building for the Department of Defence fully equipped and operational; the date by which he expects this to occur; the cost as of 1 November 2009 for the building and equipping of the new departmental headquarters; the predicted cost on completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42221/09]

Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)
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The Office of Public Works placed a contract for the Design and Build of the Department of Defence new headquarters at Station Road, Newbridge, Co. Kildare. Work on site is well advanced and was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2009. However, due to certain delays experienced by the Contractor, the building is not expected to be ready for handover to the Department until the end of January 2010. It is a matter for the Department as to when it will be fully operative.

Expenditure of approximately €26,000,000 has been incurred up to end of October 2009. This figure includes the cost of site acquisition.

The fitting out of the canteen, and the supply and installation of furniture, will follow under separate contracts. The costs of these items will be known when contracts have been placed. Tenders for this element will be invited in due course.

The provision of equipment such as IT, telephones, staff training and moving expenses, eg, transfers of files, will be a matter for the Department of Defence.