Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Generally the policy is that 10,300 public servants will move to the 50-plus locations in 24 counties. The process will take longer than originally envisaged. The OPW and the group working on decentralisation have divided the move into three blocks. One block will move with the greatest speed. Regarding the second block, in some areas they are down to a number of sites and locations in terms of building offices. The third block is further back. They have not been able to advance it.

The decentralisation group will make its second report some time in spring. The end of April was the date that was originally agreed. I presume that will not change because of the difficulties with the chairman. That was the date it was working towards and I cannot see why it cannot be achieved. The third category is not off the map but clearly it will take longer to complete that phase.

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