The new 'edge' locations include Tallaght, Ashtown Gate on the Navan Road and new offices near the M50 and Luas lines. This will ease commuting problems for public servants and help resolve traffic congestion in the city centre.

Outlining its property plans in a post-decentralised city last week, the OPW said it "has extracted approx Euro400m over the last two years from property made surplus to requirements by decentralisation and can expect to extract more such value while actively working to accommodate staff in locations which are cost-effective and as well-connected as possible transport-wise.

"In the near future, the OPW will be facing the issue of reallocating property efficiently as large numbers of staff move to their decentralised locations.

Based on the the above analysis, this office would be seeking to utilise the cheaper properties described above and extract the value from the more expensive properties closer to the centre which might not be needed."

The OPW now believes there is little point in the thousands of civil servants remaining in Dublin rattling around in prime property which could be sold off to developers.

OPW plans to keep the core complex of government offices around Government Buildings/Leinster House and related Dublin 2 and 4 areas. But only specific parts of departments and agencies which have "a clear business need to relate to the centre" should be housed there, it added.