THE Department of the Environment is planning to vacate O'Connell Bridge House in Dublin when its lease expires in two years time. The move is in line with the policy of the Office of Public Works of centralising several government departments which occupy a range of buildings in the city. Department of the Environment officials are to relocate to the Custom House, where they will take over the accommodation currently used by Customs and Excise. The customs staff will, in turn, move to the newly refurbished buildings on the Ship Street end of Dublin Castle. O'Connell Bridge House has a total of 65,000 square feet of office space on nine floors and is owned by property developer John Byrne. The Harp bar, which occupies the ground floor and basement, is operated by a company controlled by businessman Sean Quinn.

With 350 officials due to move to Johnstown Castle in Co Wexford as part of the ongoing decentralisation programme, it now seems likely the Department of Agriculture building on Kildare Street will be given over mainly to Department of Finance officials. It was originally planned to make it available to members of the Oireachtas but they are expected to be accommodated in a new block likely to be developed alongside Government Buildings.