Seán Conlan (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 267: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the decision was made to close his Department's DVO office in Ballybay, County Monaghan; if he will now examine and review this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5444/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Local Office Reorganisation Plan was announced by Government on 15 July 2009. Under the plan 58 local offices are to be reduced in number to 16 enhanced regional offices to improve delivery of my Department's services by widening services to include District Veterinary, Forestry and Agricultural Environment and Structures support services at all regional offices, thereby concentrating resources and professional expertise with greater effect and more efficiently.

Since this announcement of the plan on 15 July 2009 my Department has been implementing the rationalisation in a phased basis. The final phase, phase 4 of 4, which includes the DVO based at Ballybay, is to be implemented within the next two months which will see the closure of the public offices in Ballybay. However the Ballybay office will remain in operation dealing with non DVO related business.