Department’s rejection of office building ‘a waste’

A COMMUNITY group has accused the Government of extravagance, waste and a lack of vision because it rejected a state-of-the-art building as headquarters for decentralised offices of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Joe Kelly, chief executive of IRD Kiltimagh, maintains the group is baffled and deeply disappointed by the decision of Eamon O Cuiv’s department not to rent or buy its property, as it offers value for money.

Instead, the department is determined to push ahead with a new build, the funding for which will not be reviewed until 2011 and which will run into millions of euro.