Published: Wednesday, 16th July, 2008 2:27pm

Decentralisation project remains on track in Trim despite Govt cuts

by Noelle Finegan

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While a number of projects in the Government"s decentralisation programme appear to be in limbo, work on the new OPW headquarters in Trim is continuing to progress well and more than 200 people have signed up to move to Trim to date.

The contract for the construction of the 'shell and core" of the landmark circular building at Townspark, Trim, was awarded to Bennett Construction and is well advanced. The fit-out of the structure, which will come under a different contract, is currently out to tender, with the tenders due back in the coming two weeks.

As part of its cost-cutting measures, it was announced last week that the Government had decided to 'pause" the decentralisation programme but it was confirmed that any projects that are already under contract would proceed.

While the contract for the fit-out of the OPW offices in Trim has not been signed, it is unlikely that the building will be left idle and that the fit-out will not go-ahead. However, it will require the sanction of the Minister for Finance before the fit-out contract can be awarded.

The government"s decision to 'pause" the relocation plan could impact on several decentralisation projects around the country where contracts were not signed, and these projects now hang in the balance pending reports from the Decentralisation Implementation Group and the secretaries-general of the departments concerned.

OPW spokesperson George Moir explained that the Minister for Finance is awaiting the reports of the Decentralisation Implementation Group and the secretaries-general of each department and would then decide how to proceed with decentralisation programme. He said that any projects where the OPW is contractually committed would proceed and that decisions would be made as to what happens next when the Decentralisation Implementation Group and the secretaries-general provide their information.

Regarding the new OPW headquarters in Trim, Mr Moir said that 'technically' they were not contractually liable for the fit-out. He said the building was still under construction and that the fit-out phase would need sanction by the Minister for Finance. Mr Moir added that he could not 'second-guess' what the Minister for Finance would do, but pointed out that there is a building there and that a staff of 200 had signed up to move to Trim.

Before the pausing of the decentralisation scheme, the OPW building was due to be completed in October, fitted out by next March and ready for occupation by the summer of 2009. It is not yet known if the finance minister"s decision to call a halt to the decentralisation programme will impact on this timetable.

An advance office for the OPW was established in the Scurlockstown Business Park on the outskirts of Trim earlier this year, where over 35 OPW staff are now working.

When the landmark headquarters at Townspark are completed, there will be 330 positions available and more than 200 staff members have signed up to move to Trim to date, it is understood. This includes original OPW staff members, new recruits and employees who have transferred from other departments who want to move to Trim.

The new OPW headquarters will stand four storeys tall in its unique circular shape, with a full-height atrium through the core and a civic plaza to the front, creating a focal point for the new Trim town centre.

The site at Townsparks, Trim, was purchased by the OPW for a sum of €3.6m. A planning application for the headquarters was lodged in November 2006 and permission was granted in January 2007. The contract for the development was won by Bennett Construction, which also won the tender for the new town centre development. The foundation stone of the OPW headquarters was laid by Minister Noel Ahern at a ceremony in November 2007.