On 21 July 1999, the Government approved the transfer of the head office of the Legal Aid Board to Cahirciveen, County Kerry and authorised the Office of Public Works to source an appropriate building in the area for the board's use.
Following an advertisement in the national and local press inviting proposals from owners of potentially suitable sites in the Cahirciveen area the Office of Public Works has identified an appropriate site for the relocated head office of the board and I understand negotiations for its purchase are in progress.
The proposed number of staff to be located to Cahirciveen is 39 but when account is taken of the staff at dual locations, the total number of staff working from the Cahirciveen base will be 42.
With regard to the staffing of the relocated head office, an internal circular recently issued within the Legal Aid Board inviting declarations of interest from staff in the move to Cahirciveen. I am informed that a small number responded and that the board then, in line with normal decentralisation procedures, requested the Department of Finance to issue an interdepartmental circular seeking applicants from throughout the Civil Service. Both staff and unions are being kept fully informed of all developments in relation to the transfer.
While a small number of staff have indicated an interest in a transfer, I should mention that a further number have expressed an interest in moving in the event of promotional opportunities becoming available in Cahirciveen. Until it is established with certainty how many staff currently serving in the board's head office will transfer both as volunteers and promotees it will not be possible to state how many staff will not transfer. Furthermore, the number of new staff, if any, who will have to be recruited cannot be determined until the procedures outlined above are nearing completion.
The Deputy will appreciate that since agreement has not yet been reached on the acquisition of a site for the board's head office in Cahirciveen, it is not possible to provide details at this stage on the total cost of the proposed move.
