As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the acquisition, leasing and rental of property on behalf of the State rests with the Office of Public Works (OPW). The details sought by the Deputy in regard to the four relevant locations arising under the Decentralisation Programme in the case of my Department and the bodies within its ambit are set out below.
Staff of my Department due to decentralise to Charlestown, Co. Mayo, are currently accommodated in 2 rented properties in Tubbercurry, Co Sligo. The lease for the first rented property ("Property 1") in that location came into effect on 1 June 2006, with staff transferring in from 14 July 2006 onwards. The annual rental cost for Property 1 is €86,800. A second building was leased from 14 July 2008 to accommodate additional numbers and the annual rental cost for that property ("Property 2") is €88,138. The number of staff serving in the two properties, which are currently rented by the OPW on behalf of my Department in Tubbercurry, as at 1 January of each relevant year are set out in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Staff serving in Tubbercurry in period 2007-10
|
Year
|
Staff serving in Property 1 on 1 January
|
Staff serving in Property 2 on 1 January
|
Total staff serving in Tubbercurry on 1 January
|
|
2007
|
66
|
0
|
66
|
|
2008
|
74
|
0
|
74
|
|
2009
|
61
|
39
|
100
|
|
2010
|
54
|
37
|
91
|
10 staff that were due to decentralise to my Department's offices in Na Forbacha, Co Galway, under the Decentralisation Programme. This relocation process is now complete, with the staff relocating to existing offices at that location. Under the Decentralisation Programme, 40 staff are due to decentralise with Pobal to Clifden, Co Galway. I can confirm to the Deputy that Pobal has rented accommodation in Clifden, Co Galway, since February 2006, and that staff transferred in, as they were recruited, from March 2006 onwards. Pobal is responsible for its own rental costs and the details requested by the Deputy are set out in Table 2 below.
Table 2: Pobal staff serving in Clifden 2006-10
|
Year
|
Total rental cost
|
Pobal staff serving in Clifden on 1 January
|
|
€
|
|
|
2006
|
55,645
|
No staff in place at 1 January. 20 staff took up duty during the period 1 March-31 December 2006
|
|
2007
|
83,678
|
20
|
|
2008
|
87,628
|
25
|
|
2009
|
82,312
|
23
|
|
2010
|
N/A
|
19
|
In relation to Foras na Gaeilge, no staff have moved as yet to Gaoth Dobhair, Co Donegal, nor has any accommodation been acquired there to date.
