THE HEADQUARTERS of the North’s Department of Agricultural and Rural Development are to be relocated from east Belfast to Ballykelly in Co Derry, the department’s Sinn Féin Minister Michelle O’Neill has announced.
The plan is to have the department up and running on the old British army site at Ballykelly by 2015, with the transfer of 800 jobs from Belfast to Co Derry.
While a similar decentralisation programme caused major dissention in the South, Ms O’Neill appeared confident relocation of her headquarters would go ahead without major upset.
Ms O’Neill indicated that officials who didn’t wish to move could be facilitated through redeployment, although she also intimated this would not be possible in all cases.
“The relocation of the Dard HQ will stimulate the local economy through increased local spending, provision of high-quality and well-paid public-sector jobs and potentially jobs associated with the construction and ongoing servicing of the new HQ,” she said.
“The relocation will also help to share wealth across the wider economy and contribute to better-balanced economic growth, by starting to address disparities in the distribution of public sector jobs in the North of Ireland.”
The Minister said the move would also ensure “this former military site, which is now owned by the Executive, will be put to good use and will bring benefits for the local economy”.
Adverting to staff feelings, Ms O’Neill said, “This announcement provides clarity and the time necessary to ensure that any potential moves can be managed carefully and sensitively, taking account of business need and the needs of individuals, although this may not always be possible.”
