The total staff of my Department, which includes the National Archives, is 168. At present 80 staff are located at 23 Kildare Street Dublin 2 (Headquarters, Minister's Office, Press Office, Tourism Marketing and Impact Assessment, Internal Audit Unit and part of Corporate Services, part of Finance Unit, Tourism Development, and Major Sports Projects Unit) and Frederick Buildings, South Frederick Street, Dublin 2 (Culture Ireland and part of Sports Unit, Cultural Institutions and Film Unit.)
Forty-six staff are already based at Fossa, Killarney, Co. Kerry (Minister's Constituency Office, Sports Capital Grants Unit, Swimming Pools and Sports Capital Inspections Unit, and part of Corporate Services, Finance Unit, Art Film and Music Unit, Cultural Institutions Unit and Tourism Development Unit.) On completion of the new permanent accommodation in Killarney in 2008, all sections of my Department, excluding the National Archives, which has a staff of 42, will operate from Killarney.
Under the Government's Decentralisation Programme the Arts Council, Irish Sports Council and Fáilte Ireland are due to decentralise to Kilkenny, Killarney and Mallow respectively. The current addresses for the three agencies are as follows: The Arts Council, 70 Merrion Street, Dublin 2; The Irish Sports Council, Top Floor, Block A Westend Office Park Blanchardstown, Dublin 15; and Fáilte Ireland, Baggot Street Bridge, Dublin 2, and Amiens Street Dublin 1. The number of staff employed in each of the three agencies is: Arts Council, 45; Sports Council, 25; and Fáilte Ireland 223.
Following the implementation of the decentralisation programmes in respect of the three agencies, it is intended that all staff will operate from the decentralised locations. However, as they have not been given early mover status, the Decentralisation Implementation Group has given no timeframe for their relocation. The Office of Public Works (OPW) is currently assessing a number of options regarding suitable locations and properties in the three locations. The intended use of the vacated buildings in Dublin post decentralisation is a matter for the Office of Public Works.