asked the Minister for Labour if a final decision has been taken regarding the location of the headquarters of the European Foundation for Living and Working Conditions; and the factors taken into consideration in arriving at a decision.
17.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - European Foundation Headquarters.
16.
asked the Minister for Labour if he will site the Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions at Shannon Airport, County Clare.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 16 and 17 together.
A final decision has not yet been taken by the Government as regards the location to be recommended to the administrative board of the Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions.
The actual decision on the site of the foundation is a matter for the administrative board.
When is it likely a decision will be made and is there any reason for the long delay in arriving at a decision?
Various locations had to be examined and the agreement of the administrative board had to be sought. Their decision will, of course, be final. The inaugural meeting of the board will take place in May and it is then the decision will be taken. The Deputy will appreciate agreement can be got between the normal time that elapses before final agreement can be got between the various parties as to the most suitable location.
On what date was the decision taken in Europe to site the headquarters in this country? Would he encourage or suggest that a decision might be considered on the basis of decentralisation, in other words, putting it into a part of the country where it is badly needed rather than having it based in the Dublin area?
The date of the formal decision was at the last Council of Foreign Ministers meeting. As the Deputy is aware, at the Council of Social Affairs, the matter was raised and was also raised by the Minister for Local Government at the Council of Ministers meeting he attended. The decision in principle was made at the last Foreign Ministers meeting last year which discussed the matter. I do not have the actual date but that can be easily obtained. The Deputy can be assured that all the facts he mentioned will be taken into account in the siting of the headquarters.
How many locations have been examined?
There were a number.
But how many?
I could not tell the exact number.