Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of staff employed by the Property Registration Authority at each of its offices; if the property is leased, and if so when the lease expires; the maximum staffing capacity of leased properties; the future plans if any for each property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48874/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Property Registration Authority (PRA) was established on 4 November 2006 under the provisions of the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006 and is responsible for managing and controlling the Registry of Deeds and the Land Registry. The Registry of Deeds is located in the Registry of Deeds Building, Kings Inns, Henrietta Street, Dublin 1 and the number of staff located there is 28.

The Land Registry offices of the Property Registration Authority are based in three locations in Dublin and in decentralised offices in both Waterford and Roscommon. All of these locations with the exception of the Setanta Centre, Nassau Street, Dublin 2, (which is leased) are owned by the Office of Public Works (OPW).

Land Registry- Dublin offices

1. 84 PRA staff are currently located in the Setanta Centre, Nassau Street. The property is leased by the Office of Public Works (OPW) at a cost of €996,164 per annum. The lease for this accommodation expires in March 2013 and staff will have to be re-located before the expiry of the lease. The PRA has been in continuing discussions with the OPW to finalise the proposed re-location of staff. The OPW are now looking at a potentially suitable location but it is considered likely that this location will not be sufficient to accommodate all the staff currently located in the Setanta Centre and some staff will have to be re-located to the Chancery Street offices.

2. The number of PRA staff currently located in the Four Courts complex in Chancery Street, Dublin 7 is 202.

3. A further 18 staff are located in the PRA's central filing repository in Shanowen Road in Santry.

Land Registry- Decentralised offices

1. The number of PRA staff located in the Waterford building is 185.

2. The number of PRA staff located in the Roscommon building is 77.

Following the Government Review on the viability of all decentralisation projects, it was decided, in the case of the Property Registration Authority, that the Authority should remain in situ in the new premises located at the Golf Links Road, Roscommon. The building was originally designed to accommodate 230. The PRA is continuing to work with the Office of Public Works to maximise the occupancy in the Government buildings in Roscommon on Golf Links Road. For some months now, a small number of staff from the Roscommon Enterprise Board has been occupying part of the accommodation. Approximately 50 staff from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are scheduled to re-locate to the Golf Links Road building in the early part of December 2012.