Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Of the 213 staff in my Department, 39 have applied to decentralise. They include seven assistant principal officers, three higher executive officers, nine executive officers, two staff officers and 11 clerical officers. Ten former members of staff have already been assigned to decentralised posts. The total number of officials is 49 — ten officials have already moved and a further 39 officials are listed. They will go to a range of places. I do not have the exact numbers for each of the agencies. Some have applied to be transferred to Ordnance Survey Ireland in Dungarvan, the National Standards Authority of Ireland in Arklow, the probation and welfare service in Navan, the National Roads Authority in Ballinasloe, the National Educational Welfare Board in Portarlington, Development Co-operation Ireland in Limerick, Sustainable Energy Ireland in Dundalk, the Garda headquarters in Thurles, Area Development Management Limited in Clifden, the Valuation Office in Youghal and the Prison Service in Longford. In most of the cases I know of, having spoken to the individuals in question, it seems that people decided to apply for decentralisation to get near home or to go back to their roots. Their motivation usually relates to such concerns rather than to the individual offices. People want to get away from Dublin and get back home.

See this speech in context