Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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346. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of staff under the remit of his Department that have applied to be transferred to Department or State agency offices located outside the Dublin region in each of the years 2014 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; the estimated average cost incurred for each staff member that relocated outside the Dublin region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29038/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that there are a few ways for staff to apply for a transfer to other Departments and Offices including applying directly to the Department/Office and applying for a "Head to Head" transfer through their Union Magazine. My Department would not be aware of such applications.

In 2015 three of my staff based in my Department in Dublin applied to be transferred to my Department's Tullamore Office. One staff member has since transferred to my Department's Office in Tullamore and another member of staff transferred to the Payroll Shared Services Centre in Tullamore, both at no additional cost to the Exchequer.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform conducted a pilot of a Service Wide Mobility Scheme in a limited number of locations earlier this year. It is hoped Phase 1 of the Scheme will be launched some time in Q3 2017. My Department will then be aware of any transfer applications made through that forum for staff at Executive Officer and Clerical Officer level.