By Christy Parker

Town Councillor, Mary Linehan Foley

Transfer terms for land at North Abbey Mudlands on which permanent decentralisation offices are to be constructed, have been signed by landowners Cork County Council and the Office of Public Works. Though the site (approximate to Tesco’s) has long been earmarked, sale terms satisfactory to both parties have only now been reached. East Cork Fianna Fail TD Michael Ahern says, “It is expected that the purchase will be fully completed in the very near future.”

The move brings the anticipated relocation of 200 civil servants to Youghal that much closer and is hailed as “a positive amongst several negatives in recent times,” says Mr. Ahern’s party colleague and Town Councillor, Mary Linehan Foley.

The site will accommodate two offices, namely the Public Appointments Service and the Valuation Office. Each employs approximately 100 staff. Currently the Public Appointments Service has almost totally signed up for the move. The uptake at the Valuation Office, where the workers tend to be older and more settled, is at roughly 30% but increasing. All going well through the mandatory planning process and subsequent construction, the offices will be occupied by late 2009/early 2010.

Cllr Linehan Foley hopes the latest development “will reassure people that it is a genuine prospect. The spin-offs in terms of accommodation, services and general consumerism will be valuable and permanent.” Crediting successive Fianna Fail Finance Ministers, the councillor adds that, “Opposition parties at all levels, including local council, laughed at us when we predicted this would happen. I hope they give credit where it is now due.”

Meanwhile assisted in particular by FG Town and County councillor Barbara Murray and Town Manager Patricia Power, negotiations are proceeding to acquire an intermediary base for much of the Public Appointments Service workforce. Four locations are believed under consideration with the momentum increased following that department’s expressed interest in moving into intermediary accommodation until the permanent HQ is built. “They may well arrive within a few months,” predicts Mr Ahern.