Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

A number of posts, including 40 posts in the road haulage division of the Department of Transport and ten posts in the National Safety Council, have been identified as early movers under the decentralisation programme. The 50 posts in question are being relocated to Loughrea. I am satisfied with the progress being made in this regard. Nineteen people in the Department of Transport have expressed interest in moving to Loughrea. In the context of the Driver Testing and Standards Authority Bill, which is before the House at present, I am considering whether additional road safety functions, including some of the functions proposed for Loughrea, can be given to the authority. That could increase the level of flexibility associated with the decentralisation of the 50 posts identified for Loughrea. Implementation plans have been prepared in the meantime. The Office of Public Works is making good progress in identifying a suitable site at Loughrea.

Plans for other agencies are at an early stage because they have not been identified as early movers by the decentralisation implementation group. Discussions are continuing between the Department of Transport, the agencies and the Department of Finance. Implementation plans are being updated. There may be some variations in the plans for the relocation of posts as implementation plans are finalised, but I expect the projected numbers in each location to be achieved. There is a particular issue with the Bus Éireann numbers. While the proposal to relocate some headquarters posts in the company to Mitchelstown remains unchanged, the company has identified just 86 posts as being suitable for decentralisation. The target number of Bus Éireann posts to be decentralised is 200. The difficulty presented in that context is being examined by the company.

The table that follows this response outlines details of the number of posts under the aegis of the Department of Transport which will be decentralised to various locations and the number of applicants who have indicated their willingness to move to the locations in question. The Department of Finance is in discussions with the unions and staff associations of the State agencies with a view to progressing this issue centrally.

See this speech in context