asked the Minister for Finance (a) the total area of office accommodation rented by his Department and unoccupied at present; (b) the rental per square foot for the accommodation; (c) the departmental semi-State bodies which will occupy these office blocks; and (d) the proposed dates at which it is intended to fully occupy each office block.

The total area of office space rented by the Commissioners of Public Works which is unoccupied at present is 84,274 square feet. The present average rental cost in respect of this space is £4.26. per square foot.

The position as regards the occupation of the vacant space is set out in a tabular statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

Is it the intention of the Minister to review the whole position of rented accommodation for the various Departments having regard to the amount of accommodation that is unoccupied?

I would remind the Deputy that the 84,000 square feet represent a very small proportion of the total amount of accommodation rented by the Office of Public works which is 4.35 million square feet.