Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together.

Of the 184 authorised core staffing complement currently serving in my Department, 32 have applied through the central applications facility to relocate under the decentralisation programme.

The breakdown by grade is: principal officer, two; assistant principal, nine; higher executive officer, five; administrative officer, four; executive officer, four; staff officer, two; and clerical officer, six. Some 22 former members of staff have already been assigned to decentralised posts.

There are no proposals to decentralise my Department or any of the bodies under its aegis. It is a matter for those Departments to which staff from my Department have decentralised to assign such staff to locations outside of Dublin.

See this speech in context