Minister Lenihan officially opens the new decentralised Headquarters of the Irish Prison Service in Longford

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Brian Lenihan T.D., today, accompanied by Mr. Noel Ahern TD, Minister of State at the Department of Finance, with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works, officially opened the new decentralised Headquarters of the Irish Prison Service in Longford Town.

The decentralisation of the Irish Prison Service HQ from Clondalkin to custom built facilities in Longford has resulted in the relocation of 140 staff.

Speaking at the official opening, Minister Lenihan said: "The successful decentralisation of the Headquarters of the Irish Prison Service from Dublin to Longford is a significant milestone in the history of the Service and in the Government’s overall decentralisation programme.

Today is tangible evidence of the Government's commitment to the decentralisation programme and to balanced regional development which, in my view, will bring substantial long term dividends for the whole country including public servants and their families." 

Minister Lenihan also highlighted the huge progress that has been made in implementing the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform’s decentralisation programme under which just over 900 posts are scheduled to relocate from Dublin to provincial locations by 2010.  To date almost 500 posts from 12 agencies (including the IPS) have decentralised to 7 different locations around the country. They are:

• The Private Security Authority; the Garda Central Vetting Unit and the Fixed Charge Penalty Office are now operational in Tipperary town and Thurles respectively;
• The Data Protection Commissioners Office has moved to Portarlington;
• INIS will open an Office in Tipperary Town next month (April);
• Sections of the Property Registration Authority have moved to  Roscommon town;
• Navan now hosts staff from the Garda Civilian Human Resources Unit and the National Property Services Regulatory Authority. In addition, staff from the Probation Service and the Coroners Unit will also move there in the coming months; and
• The Equality Authority now has an Office in Roscrea.

7 March 2008