Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

A significant part of the Central Statistics Office is already located in Cork. Some 48 staff from my Department have applied through the central applications facility to relocate under the decentralisation programme. The breakdown by grade is: assistant principal, seven; higher executive officer, five; administrative officer, ten; executive officer, 12; staff officer, three; and clerical officer, 11.

Arrangements are in place to ensure the decentralisation of these staff does not impact negatively on the quality of the services provided by the Department. These arrangements include the phased redeployment of some of the remaining staff to the areas of the Department most affected by decentralisation and the provision of training and job profiles/work manuals to new staff, as appropriate.

The fact that nearly 20% of the staff of the Department have opted to relocate outside Dublin shows the underlying decision to initiate a comprehensive decentralisation programme was correct.

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