Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

Under the Government's decentralisation programme close to 1,000 posts from nine agencies under the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform will transfer to seven different locations around the country. The details and timescales for these moves are published in the decentralisation implementation group's progress report to the Minister for Finance dated 30 June 2005 and are set out in the following table.

The indicative dates for the completion of the programme range from early 2007 to mid 2009 and the detailed implementation plans for each of these agencies are published on my Department's website. The Deputy will also be aware that I announced earlier this week that the new regulatory authority for the auctioneering sector will be established in Navan and the private security authority is already up and running in Tipperary town.

All the agencies are on track with regard to the timetables set out in their implementation plans. In particular, the Irish Prison Service has been classified by the implementation group as an "early mover". The Office of Public Works has acquired a suitable site in Longford and it is anticipated that the building will be ready for occupation by the Irish Prison Service in early 2007. In addition, the central vetting unit will move from Garda headquarters to Thurles in November, when around 40 posts will be transferred.

As regards costs, the property element is primarily a matter for the Office of Public Works. To date, I understand that costs amount to just over €500,000. Non-property costs at this stage relate mainly to administration and management functions which are estimated to be around €300,000 for the entire Department, where roughly 22,000 public servants work. The Deputy must also appreciate that property will be freed up in Dublin, which will yield significant savings as a result of decentralisation.

In the late 1980s, the Department's then accounts branch decentralised to Killarney, involving the transfer of around 160 posts. The Land Registry went to the Waterford area and the Legal Aid Board decentralised to Cahirciveen, involving around 170 posts. The private security authority has been functioning effectively in Tipperary town for almost a year. There has been no case of a diminution in the quantity or quality of service. The decentralisation process in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has been quite successful.

Additional information not provided on the floor of the House.

Moreover, the decentralisation process has been a success both for the towns involved as well as for the staff of the agencies in question.

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