An initial group of around 150 staff from the department of social and family affairs' Dublin offices are expected to begin work in a new three-storey building there on 16 April. A second phase of the decentralisation programme will see a similar number of staff from the same department move to the town at a later date.

Last Thursday, minister for social affairs Seamus Brennan officially opened the new offices. Accompanied by minister of state at the department of finance Tom Parlon, the minister also officiated at the opening of an extension to the Social Welfare Services office in Sligo town. "The decentralising of some 250 staff immediately to Sligo and Carrick-on-Shannon, rising by a further 100 in the near future, is a clear indication of the determined and solid progress being made in the delivering of the decentralisation programme, " he said.

"We are also making steady progress with the other locations to which my department is committed under the programme. Discussions are advancing on a site identified in Drogheda: a contractor is expected on site by this June for offices in Buncrana;

the purchase of a site in Donegal town is at an advanced stage, and plans for the new office in Carrickmacross has been approved by the Office of Public Works. So the solid evidence on the ground is that decentralisation is happening, as towns like Sligo and Carrick-on-Shannon can now clearly see on the ground and as many others will witness in the near future."

The new Carrick-on-Shannon building which was completed last week has been leased by the Office of Public Works for an initial 20-year period. The building occupies 40,000sq ft spread over three floors. One hundred and ten underground car parking spaces and 20 surface spaces have been provided.

Sections within the department which are relocating include: client identity registration; data cleanup, index section; data protection, control division and central prosecutions; overpayments and debt management; employment support services, decision advisory and freedom of information sections; and maintenance recovery.

"This is a hugely positive development for Carrick-onShannon, " says local Fianna Fail TD John Ellis. "When the planned move was first announced the response was so favourable it was soon oversubscribed. It goes to show that decentralisation does work, when the location is right.

"A certain number of these civil servants would have roots or family connections in the area but we're talking about people from everywhere, really.

"One of the reasons it's such a popular location is that you already have social and family affairs offices in Longford and Sligo, so if anyone gets promoted it's an easy move to make.

"Carrick-on-Shannon has seen an enormous amount of commercial development over the last four or five years. Tesco has come to town. Heatons too. In fact, quite a number of the chain stores are now trading in the town. This move will make the town an even more attractive option for businesses and retail companies."