Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 6: To ask the Minister for Defence the progress being made with regard to the decentralisation of his Department and agencies under his control; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12326/05]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 36: To ask the Minister for Defence the progress in the decentralisation of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12396/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 36 together.

The Government decision on decentralisation provides for the transfer of my Department's Dublin-based Civil Service staff to Newbridge, County Kildare. The number of staff to be relocated to Newbridge is 200. The Government decision also provides for the transfer of 300 Defence Forces headquarters staff to the Curragh, County Kildare. A total of 385 personnel, of whom 78 are serving in the Department, have declared an interest in relocating to Newbridge.

The Office of Public Works is in discussions with Kildare County Council regarding the possible acquisition of a site in Newbridge for the Department's new headquarters. A site for the Defence Forces headquarters at the Curragh has been selected and preliminary planning for the design of the building has commenced. It is envisaged that the relocation will take place in 2007.

The Civil Defence Board is being relocated to Roscrea, County Tipperary. There are approximately 30 posts in the Civil Defence headquarters. Part of the staff of the Civil Defence Board moved to temporary accommodation in Roscrea with effect from 10 September 2004. The Office of Public Works, which has responsibility for the provision of official accommodation for Departments, has issued tenders for the fit-out of a leased building in Roscrea. It is hoped that a contract will shortly be placed. It is expected that this building will be available for occupation later this year.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister intend to sell the Defence Forces headquarters property on Parkgate Street? How many of the 30 Civil Defence Board personnel have moved to Roscrea? Since taking office, has the Minister examined changing his Department's decentralisation plan?

Sarsfield Barracks in Limerick was stripped of several appointments that were subsequently moved to Clonmel. On Joe Duffy's "Liveline" programme this afternoon, some of the Minister's buddies extolled his virtues and the way he looks after the Limerick East constituency. Will he satisfy their needs and reverse those positions to Sarsfield Barracks?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I am delighted I still have friends in Limerick. The Department of Defence owns the headquarters in Parkgate Street. When the relocation takes place, it will become part of the property portfolio of the Department. A committee within the Department identifies properties that can be sold off. Presumably, the Parkgate Street property will be one. There will be a tendering process in which the committee will consider what to do with the property.

Most of those based in Sarsfield Barracks are good friends of mine, whom I visit regularly. I have received no requests from officers or enlisted personnel there regarding Clonmel.

Ten personnel from the Civil Defence Board have moved to Roscrea.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Is the Minister concerned that a massive training process will have to be put in place for the new staff — 220 — to be appointed to replace the shortfall in the transfers? Will the Minister agree that the process of transferring staff will lead to a remarkable loss of experience and knowledge in matters of defence. Does the Minister believe the figure might be higher than 78? Is this the total number of officials who are willing to move?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Department will have no difficulty in moving civil servants to Roscrea, as more than 100 have expressed an interest in taking up the 30 places there. So far only ten have transferred as there is only accommodation for that number. Those 30 civil servants will be transferred and working happily in Roscrea before the end of the year. The 78 who have expressed an interest in transferring to Newbridge are civil servants serving in the Department of Defence. This figure is out of a total of 200 personnel who are to be transferred under the programme, which, in comparison to other Departments, is a relatively high take-up. Retraining will not involve Army officers but civilian staff. It is acknowledged that civil servants can easily move from one section to another.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Will the Minister agree that certain expertise is built up in an area? A civil servant from the Department of Agriculture and Food will not slip immediately into procurement assistance of military aircraft to the Defence Forces? Will there be transfers at assistant secretary and principal officer level or are those 78 positions from the lower grades in the Department?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I do not have this information but I will communicate it to the Deputy later. Staff are constantly moved within existing Departments. A civil servant working for years on third level fees in the Department of Education and Science can be suddenly transferred to information technology. It is not a question of putting a civil servant into a certain section in a Department forever. That is not how the Civil Service works.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In some Departments, members of staff have refused promotion because they must sign a commitment to move under the decentralisation programme. Has this happened in the Department of Defence?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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No, I am not aware of that happening in my Department.

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Under the Minister's predecessor, how many staff were transferred from Dublin to Roscrea?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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He proposed to transfer the Civil Defence section of the Department. There are 30 civil servants working in that section, ten of whom have been relocated to Roscrea. At present, a building is being leased. The ten civil servants are involved in completing the transition to a leased, fully fitted-out building which will accommodate the other 20. There are ten civil servants there at present and it is expected that 30 will be there before the end of this year.