Concerns over future of decentralisation project

As the Government plans cutbacks ahead of next months 'mini-Budget', speculation is mounting that the Department of Education and Science"s proposed move to Mullingar may be axed.As reported by the Westmeath Examiner, prior to the 2008 Budget last October, the future of the project was under threat - which is why there was such surprise when it emerged that it had survived the cutbacks.But it"s now believed unlikely that the project may not survive the forthcoming mini-Budget.Last week, Deputy Willie Penrose received what he has described as a 'very opaque answer' from the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Dr. Martin Mansergh TD, when he posed a question about the future of the Mullingar decentralisation project.Deputy Penrose asked if the necessary finance has been provided for the construction of the offices at the Lynn Road site, and if a contractor has been selected to commence construction.Dr. Mansergh replied that the construction of the Department of Education and Science offices at Mullingar was one of the projects given priority status following the October budget.'Planning permissions have been received for the three buildings [Mullingar, Portlaoise and Carlow], and discussions are proceeding with the successful tenderer with a view to finalising financial closure and contract signing,' Dr. Mansergh said.Deputy Mansergh"s response on Thursday last indicated that despite this change in status, no monies have yet been released.Speaking this week, Deputy Willie Penrose said that while indications earlier in 2008 suggested that Department offices were on track to be completed by the end of 2009, these most recent remarks 'don"t inspire confidence'.'I"m deeply concerned. The best that we can say is that the answer was yet another exercise in bureaucratic speak,' said the Ballynacargy man. 'They should have give us a clear, unambiguous answer that the contract is going ahead, and they should have given us a date.'Is this also now subject to the An Bord Snip Nua evaluation, or is it not? I think if it is, one would have grave concerns,' Deputy Penrose said.Fianna Fáil"s Senator Donie Cassidy, however, refused to indulge in 'negative speculation', and insisted that the Government"s position on decentralisation remains unchanged.'There has been no change in plan, to my knowledge, in relation to the Government"s determination in bringing the Department of Education and Science, and the Ministerial head office, to Mullingar, creating 321 jobs,' Senator Cassidy said.'The site has been purchased; the river has been diverted, and the main road to the site has been built. Lighting has also been installed and erected. Planning permission has been received, and the tender documents have been agreed.'People can rest assured that I am doing everything in my power to stay on track within the confines of finance being made available to make this happen,' he said.The Castlepollard man noted that while everyone is aware that the forthcoming supplementary budget is going to be 'extremely difficult', the Fianna Fáil led-Government brought in a number of 'very unpopular' budgetary measures in the 2002 Budget - measures which people nonetheless adapted to quickly.'The new Council offices are almost complete, to the tune of nearly €40m. The town sewerage scheme is being delivered, at a cost of €80m,' Senator Cassidy said, underlining the Government"s commitment to Mullingar.'€16m has been allocated for the bridge at Clonmore, to provide the last link of the Mullingar ring road, and a further €6m has been sanctioned to finalise road connections.'