asked the Minister for Finance the total floor space in square feet for which the State has been responsible since the 13th January, 1967, as indicated in a reply of 25th July, 1967, at 72-76 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin; and the amount of such floor space occupied on the 1st September, 1st October, 1st November and 1st December respectively.
Ceistenna—Questions. Oral Answers. - St. Stephen's Green Premises.
30.
The total floor space in 72-76 St. Stephen's Green is approximately 68,000 square feet.
Occupation of the premises began on 7th October, 1967, with the transfer of Department of Finance staff. By the end of October about 32,000 square feet of space was in use by that staff and the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. In November a further 700 square feet was occupied by staff of the Estate Duty Office. The transfer of the remaining staffs to which the premises have been allocated, namely the Department of Justice and the balance of the Estate Duty Office is scheduled to commence at the weekend of the 9th-10th December and will be completed before Christmas.
Do I correctly hear the Parliamentary Secretary state that in relation to a substantial part of this building, he has been paying rent at the rate of £75,000 a year for 11 months without occupation?
That is not correct. It is normal practice that in the preparation of such large areas for occupation by Government Departments, the area be rented without any partitioning because partitioning has to be done and has to be made suitable for the use to which the accommodation is to be put. That has been going on since 13th January and is substantially completed. It is not conceivable that the offices could have been occupied immediately without first preparing them for occupation.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary not aware that in relation to the letting of most of these modern buildings for private purposes, the rent does not begin to run until the offices are fit for occupation and will he, therefore, say why he did not so arrange in this case? Will he further say if it is a fact that 68,000 square feet were not occupied until 7th October, even though they are costing from 1st January, that is to say, for nine months and one week, £6,500 a month? Will he further agree that the reason the Department of Justice have not yet moved in is that the Minister for Justice is not satisfied with something in relation to his particular room in the building?
That is not true. I am not that sort of man.
It is true and what happened was that he did not like the way the rain was falling.
The Deputy is a liar.
The Minister will withdraw that remark.
I withdraw it, but I will certainly say that I take a very poor view of an imputation that has no basis whatever in fact.
(Interruptions.)
It is true. I know it is true.
That is not my form and the Deputy knows it well.
It is true that it was the Minister's room he did not like.
That is not my form.
It may not be the Minister's form but it is true.
Deputy Sweetman is a fussy old gentleman.
(Interruptions.)
Mr. Gibbons
Apparently, the purpose of the Question was to snipe at the Minister for Justice but Deputy Sweetman's suggestion that the Office of Public Works have been in any way remiss or slothful in the carrying out of their duties in the matter of the building to which the question refers is without foundation. As I have said already, the building had first to be prepared to receive the civil servants for whom it was to cater and that work was put in hands with all possible expedition and carried out.
It is a public scandal and the Parliamentary Secretary knows it and he is trying to cover it up.
I am not a fussy old gentleman like Deputy Sweetman.