Anne Ferris (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 189: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total cost to the State of decentralisation; when a review of the scheme will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24550/11]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The 2009 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) includes an audit of property management under the decentralisation programme. This report identified capital expenditure on the Programme of 289.4 million Euro on property and recurring costs (leases) of 7 million Euro (as at April 2010). Dublin property disposals were 356m Euro and leases with an annual value of 10m Euro over the same period were surrendered. Non-property costs in the order of 30m Euro were incurred, including the costs of decentralising offices and the OPW's spend on dedicated staffing for the programme. The expenditure figures have not been updated since April 2010 as there has been very little activity on the Programme since then, due to the deferral for budgetary reasons in October 2008 of the implementation of the elements of the programme remaining to be completed at that time.

My Department has commenced work on a review of the Programme, and I hope to report to Government in relation to that review later in the year.