Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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19. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding the provision of a permanent building for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in Portlaoise, County Laois; and the current cost of renting offices in Portlaoise. [5606/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A site was acquired in Portlaoise for the provision of a building for the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine under the decentralisation programme. As the Deputy will be aware this building was not constructed due to the Government decision not to proceed with further decentralisation.

To accommodate the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine staff, OPW took seven leases in four buildings to accommodate 254 personnel. The Commissioners of Public Works have been working with Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine to consolidate their accommodation in Portlaoise. In October 2013, sanction was received from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to proceed with an extension to the existing Government Buildings at Abbeyleix Road to facilitate this but funding was not provided and consequently this project has not been advanced.

The Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine still consider it a priority that consolidation of various business areas should proceed. In that context, three leases in Gandon Court were surrendered in 2014 and additional centralised space was leased in Portlaoise town. In addition to the consolidation of staff, a rental saving of approximately €100,000 per annum was achieved.

In order to secure further efficiencies, it is proposed to commence a space audit of the State owned Government Offices on the Abbeyleix Road. This will establish the potential for consolidation of staff through re-configuration of the space with a more modern open plan layout and furniture. The provision of the extension will be reviewed following completion of the space audit.

The current annual rent in respect of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine's leases in Portlaoise is just short of €634,000. (This includes accommodation that was not part of decentralisation). This rental amount has been reduced from €926,000 approximately.