The Office of Public Works (OPW) has signed a contract worth €140 million to build decentralised offices in Portlaoise, Mullingar and Carlow.
The Macquarie Partnership will design, build, finance and maintain the buildings, which will accommodate 1,500 staff from the Departments of Agriculture, Education and Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
Minister of State with responsibility for decentralisation Noel Ahern said the 15-year public private partnership is one of the largest ever undertaken by the OPW.
The buildings will comprise 35,000 square metres of office space with car parking. Mr Ahern said that by the end of 2007, public services decentralised from Dublin will be delivered from 34 regional towns.