Written answers

Wednesday, 3 February 2010

Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

Decentralisation Programme

9:00 pm

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 294: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will state, in view of the decentralisation programme announced in December 2003, the properties rented or acquired as a consequence of the decentralisation programme in respect of his Department and of every State body for which it is responsible; the date of commencement of the rental or date of purchase of each property; the cost of each property purchased or the annual rental of each property rented; the number of staff transferred into each property as of 1 January of each year from the commencement of the rental or the date of the acquisition of each property in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5632/10]

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the acquisition, leasing and rental of property on behalf of the State rests with the Office of Public Works (OPW). The details sought by the Deputy in regard to the four relevant locations arising under the Decentralisation Programme in the case of my Department and the bodies within its ambit are set out below.

Staff of my Department due to decentralise to Charlestown, Co. Mayo, are currently accommodated in 2 rented properties in Tubbercurry, Co Sligo. The lease for the first rented property ("Property 1") in that location came into effect on 1 June 2006, with staff transferring in from 14 July 2006 onwards. The annual rental cost for Property 1 is €86,800. A second building was leased from 14 July 2008 to accommodate additional numbers and the annual rental cost for that property ("Property 2") is €88,138. The number of staff serving in the two properties, which are currently rented by the OPW on behalf of my Department in Tubbercurry, as at 1 January of each relevant year are set out in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Staff serving in Tubbercurry in period 2007-10
YearStaff serving in Property 1 on 1 JanuaryStaff serving in Property 2 on 1 JanuaryTotal staff serving in Tubbercurry on 1 January
200766066
200874074
20096139100
2010543791

10 staff that were due to decentralise to my Department's offices in Na Forbacha, Co Galway, under the Decentralisation Programme. This relocation process is now complete, with the staff relocating to existing offices at that location. Under the Decentralisation Programme, 40 staff are due to decentralise with Pobal to Clifden, Co Galway. I can confirm to the Deputy that Pobal has rented accommodation in Clifden, Co Galway, since February 2006, and that staff transferred in, as they were recruited, from March 2006 onwards. Pobal is responsible for its own rental costs and the details requested by the Deputy are set out in Table 2 below.

Table 2: Pobal staff serving in Clifden 2006-10
YearTotal rental costPobal staff servingin Clifden on 1 January
200655,645No staff in place at 1 January. 20 staff took up duty during the period 1 March-31 December 2006
200783,67820
200887,62825
200982,31223
2010N/A19

In relation to Foras na Gaeilge, no staff have moved as yet to Gaoth Dobhair, Co Donegal, nor has any accommodation been acquired there to date.

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