Labour TD for Longford/Westmeath, Deputy Willie Penrose, has again raised in the Dail the proposed decentralisation of 300 Department of Education posts to Mullingar.
“Sad to say, little or no progress has been made on this in the last 12 months,” said Deputy Penrose.
“One year ago, almost to the day, I asked the Minister for an update. I was told then that the OPW had procured a site in Mullingar for the development; that full planning permission had been granted; and that a preferred tenderer had been identified.
“One year later, we don’t seem to have moved any closer to breaking ground on the site. The Minister told me last week that planning permissions have been received and that ‘discussions are proceeding with the successful tenderer with a view to finalising financial closure and contract signing, subject to Government approva’l.
“In other words, all that has happened since September 2008 is that having identified a tenderer, we are now in discussions with them! Progress has slowed to a snail’s pace,” said the deputy.
“There seems little or no chance that the project will be completed by 2010 as promised.”
