Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 147: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans for the future of the Garda Ombudsman offices based in Roscrea, County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11754/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission that they do not have offices in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary. While it was the original intention to open an office in Roscrea under the decentralisation programme, suitable office accommodation could not be found. The Commission's senior management team decided that, because of the geographical distribution of the caseload of the Southern Region Team, the formal establishment of an office in Cork city would be more cost-effective than operating a team from Roscrea. Following consultation with the Probation and Welfare Service, agreement was reached that the Ombudsman Commission could avail of a suitable space in its premises in Cork. The Roscrea decentralisation project was subsequently postponed indefinitely. It is the experience of GSOC's Senior Management Team that the existing arrangement of locating an investigations team in Cork has proved to be a prudent business decision with regard to the efficiencies achieved, customer service provided, geographical spread of investigative staff achieved and the financial savings realised.