Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 495: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when the proposed decentralised building for her Department will commence in Athlone; the duration of time it will take to complete the building; when staff will be recruited to work in the new building; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8704/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The construction contract for the new building in Athlone is a matter for the OPW but I understand that they expect that construction will begin shortly.

My Department has been making arrangements to assign officers who are willing to relocate to Athlone to the posts to decentralise over a year at this stage. Officers willing to relocate to Athlone have been identified for assignment to 94% of the posts involved, with 38% of these posts currently being held by officers who will relocate with their posts. Further assignments of officers to decentralise with their posts will be made this year and the process will continue up to the date of relocation. This is because a number of officers who will decentralise to Athlone are based outside of Dublin and every effort will be made to minimise the period of time they must spend in Dublin prior to relocating to Athlone.