The Government decided on 8th July last that no further expenditure on the acquisition of accommodation for decentralisation should be sanctioned pending detailed consideration by the Government of two reports: one from the Decentralisation Implementation Group on the feasibility of phased moves by the State Agencies; and one from the Implementation Group of Secretaries General on the governmental and cross-Departmental issues arising from the need to provide facilities for Minister, Ministers of State and officials while in Dublin on business.
I expect that the Minister for Finance will present these to Government over the coming weeks.
In the meantime, FÁS has leased a floor of a building within the Birr Technology Centre to accommodate staff in the decentralised location. Currently there are 23 Head Office staff based in these premises, which has capacity for approximately 40 staff.