asked the Minister for Finance if he will establish a further Government Publications Sales Office at Beggar's Bush, Dublin, or at some other location more convenient than the GPO Arcade.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Government Publications Sales Office.
14.
As I indicated to the Deputy in reply to a similar question on 18 April last, the present volume of sales would not justify the establishment of a second Government Publications Sales Office. I can now inform the Deputy that the Office of Public Works are at present making arrangements for the transfer of the Government Publications Sales Office to new premises in Upper O'Connell Street, and that the Stationary Office itself is being moved to new premises from the Beggar's Bush location.
I am glad to know that. Would the Minister agree that the difference in convenience between O'Connell Street and the GPO Arcade for people who have to think about parking is not very substantial? Secondly—I am aware it is not part of the question; I discovered it only after putting the question down—would he agree that the service in any case is less perfect than it could be in view of the fact that the Government Publications Sales Office is not open on a Saturday morning which is the only time in the week when many people are able to fag down to the GPO Arcade.
The question raised by the Deputy just now is one of which I did not have notice.
I realise that. I am sorry.
I would agree that the service is less than satisfactory. Indeed, that is why the change is being made because the accommodation available is not sufficient even for an adequate display of the books, periodicals and so on available there. There are other considerable problems for the staff in operating the Government Publications Sales Office.
As to the question of parking, this is a difficult problem if the location of the office is to be anywhere central. It is a problem that would attach wherever it is located. We could solve the parking problem by locating it in a thoroughly inaccessible place but I do not think that would satisfy the Deputy or the public.
I admit that it is a long way from the north side and I do not wish to minimise the importance of that, but a place like Beggar's Bush is surely not out of the way considering that the Government are falling over themselves to rent office space within a few hundred yards of that spot.
This is leading to argument.