The provision of a new headquarters building in Portlaoise for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in conjunction with a new headquarters for the Department of Education and Science in Mullingar, and decentralised offices for staff of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in Carlow, is being pursued by means of a Public Private Partnership as a single Design, Build, Finance and Maintain Contract.
Following completion of a pre-qualification process and invitation of tenders, discussions have been ongoing for a number of months with Macquarie Partnerships for Ireland on matters related to financial and technical aspects of the project. Planning permissions have been received for all three buildings. The anticipated construction period is 20.5 months. The award of a contract is subject to Government approval.