Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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198. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to provide permanent office accommodation for staff in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Social Protection, who are now located in Portlaoise in County Laois, as part of decentralisation. [18128/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The majority of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's (DAFM) staff are currently accommodated in three locations in Portlaoise, in the State Owned Government Offices on the Abbeyleix Road and two leased premises.

OPW are continuing to work with DAFM to consolidate their staff into fewer locations. In this regard, a space audit of the State owned Government Offices on the Abbeyleix Road in Portlaoise is currently being undertaken. When this is complete, it will be evaluated to establish the potential to increase the occupancy of the building through the re-configuration of the space with a more modern open plan layout and furniture.

The provision of an extension to this State owned property will also be reviewed following completion of the space audit. The use of leased premises may prove part of the final proposals for the long term accommodation solution for DAFM.

The Department of Social Protection's accommodation in Portlaoise was not part of the Decentralisation Programme. They are currently in two locations in the town, the State Owned Government Offices on the Abbeyleix Road and a leased property and their current accommodation requirements are adequately provided for.