Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1738: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the total number of offices and properties rented by his Department; their location and use; if his Department is occupying all of the office space currently rented; if not the location of such office space and the length of time that this space has been unoccupied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32835/10]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1739: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation in respect of the offices and properties which his Department are currently renting, if he would give a breakdown of all leasehold interests to include building size, current rent, lease terms, rent reviews, break options, landlord service charges, car parking and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32850/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1738 and 1739 together.

My Department and the 8 Offices of my Department currently occupy 11 buildings within the State. A list of the buildings involved is in the tabular statement.

With the exception of a building in Shannon occupied by the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA), none of the buildings or premises occupied by my Department and the 8 Offices of my Department are rented or leased by the Department or the Offices concerned. In general, all buildings and premises occupied by my Department and its Offices are provided by the Office of Public Works (OPW) without any cost to the Department or the Offices. In many of those cases the buildings/premises are rented or leased by the OPW and the information requested by the Deputy in relation to leasehold interests, building size, current rent, lease terms, rent reviews, break options, landlord service charges, car parking etc. could only be supplied by the Office of Public Works.

NERA's Shannon accommodation is held under a four-year licence agreement between the OPW and NERA on the one hand and Westpark Shannon Limited on the other. The licence agreement commenced in February 2009. The licence fee, which was paid by NERA in 2009, amounts to €156.08 per square metre, subject to a maximum charge of €32,480 per annum (exclusive of VAT). Since 1 January 2010 the OPW has assumed responsibility for the payment of the licence fee costs for NERA's Shannon accommodation. The licence agreement provides for a review every four years. The first review will take place in March 2013. NERA has also indicated that it is satisfied that it secured a very competitive rate when leasing its office accommodation in Shannon in cooperation with the OPW.

All of the buildings listed in the tabular statement are occupied by the Department or the Offices of the Department. Due to the decentralisation process and the reduction in staff levels generally in the Department and in the Offices of the Department in recent times, a certain amount of office space has become available in most of the buildings and my Department is currently engaged in a process to ensure that the buildings occupied by the Department are occupied to the optimum levels possible.