Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Fine Gael recently tabled questions to find out how many people had applied to move to Drogheda, Carrick-on-Shannon, Sligo, Donegal town, Buncrana and Carrickmacross. The number of people desired was 1,240, and 1,316 people applied. However, the problem is that, of that number, only 190 will be going with their job. What will happen in terms of promotion opportunities for those people who do not wish to decentralise? What will be the cost of retraining people? At the Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service in recent days, representatives of the Department of Finance said that it could cost up to €80,000 per job to decentralise from one Department to another. How will the Minister deal with experienced people in Dublin who are doing the job but will not move with it? Where will the Department find the necessary expertise when it moves to other locations?

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