asked the Minister for Finance the total cost to the State of the rental of privately owned offices by the State and by semi-State bodies.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Government Rented Offices.
14.
(Clare): The total amount paid in rents in the year ended 31 December 1981 in respect of offices occupied by the staff of Government Departments was approximately £13,645,000.
Offices occupied by semi-State bodies are the responsibility of those bodies and I have not the relevant information in respect of them.
Will the Minister agree that a figure of £13 million is a massive sum by any standards and that the time has come for the Government to reconsider their policy of leasing buildings from private sources? The time has come for the Government to engage in the building of suitable premises for State Departments to ensure the saving of money, investment in the building industry and the stimulation of employment in that industry.
(Clare): We are engaged in a programme of building also. It is a gradual programme but the demand in recent years for more space grew so rapidly that we had no option but to rent premises. I should like to tell the Deputy that we are engaged in building also and, hopefully, we will own all the premises we use.
Will the Minister agree that a figure of £13 million being paid in rent is an indictment of the policies of successive Governments in so far as the money is not going into the Exchequer but is going to other sources and in so far as we have a difficult economic time it shows a reflection on our economic policy in that area?
(Clare): The Deputy can be assured that there is nothing wasteful about that when we need the buildings. It is the going rate in this city particularly on a footage basis. There are many other people renting office space and it happened to be the rate at the time when we engaged those buildings. If they are necessary to house the staff and we have not got sufficient time to build new offices in order to relieve congestion and overcrowding it is the only option open to us.
Would the Minister not agree that £13 million could be used for more productive purposes rather than going into the pockets of private owners of those buildings?
(Clare): It surely could. I agree with the Deputy that £13 million could be put into more productive purposes but where are the civil servants and the staff who occupy those offices to work? Is it out in St. Stephen's Green or somewhere like that? You must have the office space.
(Dún Laoghaire): Would the Minister not agree that it is the location of the offices that is responsible for the high rent? Is there any need for Government Departments to be located in the centre of the city because, by doing so, you are not alone paying high rent but you are also using up all the space available and increasing the letting price even further?
(Clare): It is fairly obvious to everyone that our commitment to decentralisation proves that we accept that it is not necessary to have all those in or around the inner city. Our programme of decentralisation is ample proof of that to anybody.
The remaining questions will appear on next Tuesday's Order Paper.
With your permission, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the serious problem arising as a result of a motor accident at Aglish, near Cappoquin, County Waterford, on the night of last Sunday week and the problem which arose because of the unavailability of medical services and ambulance services resulting from the accident. I would be grateful if you would allow me to raise it on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
Could I have a written reply to Question No. 168?