THE OFFICE of Public Works (OPW) expects to spend €60 million this year on “decentralised” office buildings in several locations, despite the Government’s decision to defer much of its decentralisation programme.
A spokesman noted €72 million had been allocated under this heading in last October’s budget and although the OPW’s overall capital allocation had since been cut by €10 million, the figure for decentralisation was not reduced.
However, because paperwork on contracts had yet to be completed, the spokesman said the actual outturn for 2009 was unlikely to exceed €60 million. This compares with outturns of €103.5 million in 2008 and €106.7 million in 2007.
One of the largest projects nearing completion is the OPW’s new headquarters in Trim, Co Meath and staff are to begin moving there in late July or August.
Office blocks for more public servants have been completed in Athlone, Co Westmeath; Killarney, Co Kerry, and Newcastle West, Co Limerick, while another in Wexford – to accommodate Department of the Environment staff – is nearly finished.
It is unlikely this will become the department’s headquarters, as envisaged under the decentralisation programme announced in December 2003 by then minister for finance Charlie McCreevy, mainly because so few senior staff are willing to move.
Wexford, where the Environmental Protection Agency is located, will be used to accommodate some sections of the department, such as housing. Other housing officials are located in Ballina, Co Mayo, so face-to-face meetings will involve travel.
The OPW spokesman said teleconferencing facilities were being installed in its main buildings so senior officials in Trim could communicate with others elsewhere without having to travel, but he said face-to-face meetings “would still happen”.
Further decentralisation projects are under construction in Newbridge, Co Kildare, Buncrana, Co Donegal and Clonakilty, Co Cork. Contracts for similar schemes in Roscommon town and Tipperary town have not yet been placed, the spokesman said.
The OPW has acquired sites for decentralised offices in Cavan, Dungarvan, Co Waterford, Thurles, Co Tipperary, Edenderry, Co Offaly, and Thomastown, Co Kilkenny. However, these projects are subject to “review” in 2011 due to cuts.
Under the original programme Cavan was to be the headquarters of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. Dungarvan was to house the Ordnance Survey of Ireland and Thurles the headquarters of the Garda.
Advance parties of staff from departments or State agencies have already been posted to some decentralised locations, even thoughit appears most of their colleagues are unlikely to follow them. But even though 2,500 of the 10,300 public servants originally mooted have moved, it has proved impossible to halt the programme because so many buildings have been built and contractual commitments made to build others.
According to Minister for the Environment John Gormley, who opposed the programme while in Opposition, another complicating factor was that many public servants due for decentralisation had purchased homes in places to which they were to be transferred.
Others who wished to stay in Dublin and were debarred from seeking promotion in their own department as a result, had to move to other departments, with a consequential loss of expertise.
