Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Jun 1996

Vol. 467 No. 5

Written Answers. - Proposed Relocation of Companies Office.

Eric J. Byrne

Question:

10 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the proposed relocation area of the Companies Office; the progress, if any, that has been made in this regard; the improvements that will accrue from the relocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13640/96]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. R. Bruton)

I confirm that the Office of Public Works has secured a lease on Parnell House, Parnell Square, Dublin 1, as the new location for the Companies Registration Office. This building will also house the Registry of Friendly Societies, the Competition Authority and elements of the Patents Office.

Work is currently in progress on the planning and design stage in association with the Office of Public Works. I expect that the building will be ready for occupation in early 1997.

I appreciate that this date shows slippage on the target date I gave in January. The planning, design and actual work on the Companies Registration Office premises is, however, a complex process as the fit-out is not simply a matter of partitioning and furnishing the offices. There are unique requirements in the case of the Companies Registration Office which include the provision of a public office, extensive storage requirements and specialised IT requirements. All this process will take some time. My Department is pressing the Office of Public Works to complete the work as soon as possible.

The move of the Companies Registration Office from its current inadequate accommodation will (a) permit the deployment of essential additional staff for the office, (b) facilitate the full implementation of process and procedural changes recommended by a business process re-engineering study carried out late last year and (c) improve customer service and the operational effectiveness and efficiency of the office.