The decentralisation of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to the west of Ireland is well under way, Minister Eamon O Cuiv said today.
Some 37 staff moved to new advance offices in Tubbercurry, Co Sligo, this week pending construction of a new headquarters at Knock Airport, Co Mayo.
Four sections of the department and parts of two others have now relocated to Tubbercurry, with two further sections due to relocate there on August 14th - by which time 64 staff will be located in the new offices.
Most of the staff now in Tubbercurry transferred from other departments in Dublin over the past seven months, and many have connections with the west of Ireland.
On a visit to the new offices, Mr O Cuiv said so many extra people living and working in the west will have important benefits socially and economically for the area. He told staff he was highly impressed by their enthusiasm for their new jobs and new location.
"As you know, our Gaeltacht and Islands Divisions have been based in Na Forbacha in Galway for many years and those arrangements work very well. I have no doubt that our decentralised offices here in Tubbercurry will work equally as well.
Work will commence on the department's new offices at Knock Airport in the first quarter of 2007. It is estimated the headquarters will transfer there from mid-2008 and, when completed, the staff in Tubbercurry will relocate, giving a total workforce of 140 in the new location.