Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)

My question relates to the interest within the Minister's current Dublin-based Department staff to decentralise to the chosen locations. He is well aware of the importance of the wealth of expertise within his Department in regard to key areas such as drugs control, community development and so on. Will he agree that he will still need a continuity of this expertise after his Department has decentralised? Can he guarantee to the House that he can make up the numbers of all grades, from clerical officer to principal officer, who make up this expertise? Is he satisfied with the preparation that has been engaged in by his Department, and perhaps other Departments, for the people who will move from Dublin to different parts of the country? Are offices and accommodation available? I understand that a hotel complex, or part of a hotel complex, in the Minister's constituency, has been taken over to facilitate these people who are moving from Dublin to decentralised locations. Is he satisfied that this is the most economical, logical and practical way to deal with the issue, or will he agree that custom-built offices, suitable for their work should be prepared before the move takes place?

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