Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

At the outset there was a Cabinet sub-committee dealing with the issues, composed mainly of personnel from the Department of Finance and the Office of Public Works as well as a number of other relevant Departments. Since the decentralisation implementation group was set up under the chairmanship of Mr. Finbarr Flood, it has been co-ordinating the project and dealing with various Ministers. Property acquisitions and related issues are being dealt with by the Office of Public Works. Staffing issues are being dealt with by the personnel management, PSMD, section of the Department of Finance, while a separate group is dealing with the senior officials who are moving. The Secretary General of my Department is involved with that senior personnel group. They are the main elements that are driving and co-ordinating the decentralisation project.

The implementation group publishes progress reports periodically. There were three such reports last year and another one is due this summer.

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