Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Michelle O’Neill today hailed the relocation of her Department’s Fisheries Division to Downpatrick as an important step in the decentralisation of civil service jobs.
The relocation of 50 posts from the Stormont Estate in Belfast to new modern offices at the Downshire Civic Centre, reflects the Minister’s commitment to delivering the Executive’s pledge to decentralise civil service posts.
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NI Fisheries Minister Micelle O’Neill, pictured at Ardglass harbour with Chris Hazzard MLA on a recent visit, has announced the opening of the new fisheries office in the Downshire Civic Centre in Downpatrick.[/caption]
From today (June 8) Fisheries will be operating out of its new headquarters at Downshire Civic Centre in the Co Down town.
Minister O’Neill said: “I’m delighted that this first relocation project has been completed on time and on budget. This move brings our department closer to the Co Down ports of Ardglass, Kilkeel and Portavogie, which are amongst the busiest fishing ports in Ireland, with my fisheries team now at the hub of the fishing industries.
“I believe this is an ideal location for our fisheries headquarters and will deliver real social and economic improvement in rural areas while enhancing the identification of DARD with the rural community. It will also deliver an economic boost to the town as well as have the potential to attract further public sector jobs.”
The Minister said she was grateful to the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council for all their co-operation in facilitating this move.
She said: “Good progress continues to be made on the other headquarters relocation projects, Forestry to Enniskillen, Rivers Agency to Cookstown and the remainder of my department’s HQ to Ballykelly.
“Decentralisation offers significant economic opportunities for businesses in all these rural localities. Across the four projects, hundreds of civil servants will be coming to work, shop, eat and enjoy leisure pursuits in rural towns whilst, at the same time, helping to create many more additional service and supply jobs and secure existing employment.”
Some 984 civil servants expressed an interest in moving to Downpatrick.
The recent Expression of Interest which issued to all NICS staff saw over 4,000 staff registering an interest in posts in one or more of the four relocation sites.
Forest Service are due to move to Inishkeen House, Enniskillen by September 2015; Rivers Agency to Loughry College, Cookstown by mid 2016 and the remainder of the DARD headquarters to Ballykelly in two major phases in 2017 and 2020.
Ritchie Welcomes Fisheries’ Office Move
Ritchie welcomes the decentralisation of Fisheries jobs to the Downshire Civic Centre in Downpatrick
Speaking today as the new fisheries office opened in Downpatrick, South Down MP Margaret Ritchie said: “I welcome the decentralisation of fisheries jobs to the Downshire Civic Centre in Downpatrick and the fact that they commence work today. Some years ago, I made representations to the Minister for Agriculture urging that Fisheries jobs which were located at Dundonald House in Belfast should be re-located to the Downshire Civic Centre as part of a decentralisation of government jobs as the natural homeland for Fishing administration should be in South Down. Two of the three County Down fishing ports of Ardglass and Kilkeel were located in the South Down constituency as well as the Fishery Harbour Authority Headquarters in Downpatrick.
“Furthermore, such a move was considered, if implemented, to be of pivotal importance in helping to build the centre of public administration excellence at the Downshire Civic Centre.
“Undoubtedly, the re-location of these jobs will underpin not only the Downshire Civic Centre as a central point for local administration, but will also stimulate the local economy. I would hope that this initiative could be followed by other government departments and agencies who would see the Downshire Civic Centre as a suitable cost effective location and as a means of contributing to re-balancing our economy in South Down.”
Hazzard Says South Down Needs More Jobs Through Decentralisation
Sinn Féin MLA Chris Hazzard has said that he will work to ensure that the opening of new Fisheries Agency in Downpatrick is just the beginning of the process of decentralising governmental jobs to South Down.
Mr Hazzard said: “The opening of the Fisheries Agency in Downpatrick is a welcome move for everyone who supports economic growth in South Down. Minister Michelle O’Neill is to be congratulated, because she has had the vision to support decentralising government jobs and for choosing Downpatrick.
“I look forward to extending a céad míle fáilte to her and her DARD colleagues at the official opening in Downpatrick in the near future.
“Decentralisation makes sense in so many ways. The majority of the fishing fleet in the North is situated in County Down so it makes sense that the new office has opened in Downpatrick.”
“We can expect the local economy to benefit from the additional jobs in the area by seeing a knock on effect in the local retail and food sector.
“Sinn Féin supports sensible policies that mean less traffic congestion in Belfast, less commuting times for people and a better work – life balance for people living in South Down.
“Other ministers need to follow the lead set by Michelle O’Neill. As such, I will continue to lobby all the Ministers to decentralise jobs to South Down so we can continue the task of building the local economy.”
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