Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

There is no shift in Government policy on decentralisation. The programme states that the Government will continue to move ahead with decentralisation and ensure that no public servant is obliged to accept decentralisation against his or her wishes and that promotion opportunities remain available.

I assure the Deputy that this remains the case and that the Government has not abandoned any decentralisation project. I assume the Deputy is referring to the relocation of posts to Kildare town by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners. The Revenue decentralisation project to relocate 380 posts to Kildare town will go ahead. The chairman of the Revenue Commissioners wrote to me outlining some business continuity issues regarding the relocation of that office's full information and communication technology, ICT, function to Kildare town. I agreed in principle to an alternative mix of 380 posts for the Kildare location and have asked the chairman to submit a formal proposal setting out a revised mix of posts.

The decision to consider an alternative mix of functions that Revenue will relocate to Kildare town is further evidence that the decentralisation programme is vibrant and flexible enough to adapt to changing business needs as they arise in the detailed implementation phase while ensuring delivery of the commitment to the towns included in the programme.

With regard to the State agencies, the decentralisation implementation group, DIG, noted in its most recent report that the pace of progress on the State agency part of the programme continues to be slow. The Government has always recognised that this aspect of the programme presents different challenges from that of the Civil Service but is determined to make progress towards the objective of moving the State agency posts as announced. I anticipate considerable progress on this element of the programme over the lifetime of the Government.

The decentralisation implementation group has always emphasised the central role of the board and management in each agency in driving the decentralisation programme forward. The group considers that all agencies should now, at a minimum, have initiated HR recruitment policies to support the programme, begun to put phased timeframes in place and be actively securing advance and-or permanent accommodation solutions in the decentralised location.

The Labour Court, in a recent recommendation relating to the dispute between FÁS and SIPTU, stated its belief that the policy of effecting decentralisation on a voluntary basis could best be achieved if individuals who are unwilling to relocate are provided with realistic alternative career options. The court went on to say that it believes that the appropriate authorities should address the issues arising in the broader context of decentralisation of non-commercial State bodies overall.

This aspect of the Labour Court finding is very much in line with the previously expressed view of the decentralisation implementation group. The Labour Court recommendation provides a renewed opportunity for both unions and management to address the relevant issues and my Department has been in contact with ICTU to explore how progress can be made on this aspect of the recommendation. As I have previously stated in the House, I remain confident that, through dialogue and negotiation, progress can be advanced.

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In the meantime, the decentralisation information group has asked my Department to analyse each specific location to assess the overall number of posts to relocate, the full potential pool of applicants if transferability between agencies were in place in the future, the scale of the remaining staffing gap and available options for filling the gap. The group has also asked for an update on the scope for individual agencies to form advance parties in the new locations. In this regard, issues surrounding the costs and business effectiveness of a dual location over the transition period will need to be examined.

The group is also continuing with a series of meetings with the CEOs of individual agencies and the Secretary General of the parent Department in each case.

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