Results 8,661-8,680 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. Thirty three staff serving in my Department have applied through the central applications facility to relocate under the decentralisation programme. The breakdown by grade is: principal officer, one; assistant principal, five; higher executive officer, three; administrative officer, seven; executive officer, seven; staff officer,...

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy appreciates that all of the questions have been tabled to my Department, but it is a matter for the Department of Finance to deal with the general position. I understand site or building acquisitions have now been completed or significantly advanced in 38 locations and progress is continuing on the identification of suitable sites or properties in others. Advance office...

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That is about half of them.

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The strategy was to move approximately 7,000 people. A total of 11,000 people want to move and are on the list. That includes people in other locations. It was never a Dublin only strategy. Thankfully, even though the Deputy and I are honoured to represent Dublin, it is not a Dublin only society. Dublin is not the country.

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That is what it is doing, but a civil servant who works in Sligo and wants to move somewhere else should not be debarred from doing so.

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Then we agree.

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: If Deputy Bruton is suggesting that the idea was to reallocate staff——

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The implication is that we should announce this and move everybody without negotiation, but I do not agree with that.

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Bruton is against decentralisation.

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I remember that the Deputy was against it in the 1990s.

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: More than 40% of the 7,200 civil servant posts due to relocate under the programme are now filled by staff who are decentralising and are either in their new locations or are being skilled up for their new posts. Over the next few years we will see the relocation of the 10,900 civil servants who have applied to relocate under the decentralisation programme. The Central Applications Facility...

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Ministerial responsibility for the entire programme rests with the Minister for Finance. The decentralisation implementation group is answerable to the Department of Finance. It is not independent of the Department but works directly to it and the Department of Finance answers for it. On State agencies, the report of the implementation group continues to emphasise the central role of the...

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The group refers to the fact that some of the unions representing State agency members have adopted a stance of opposition to Government policy from the start. The group continues to highlight the importance of getting active discussions under way with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on a range of industrial relations issues impacting on the relocation. The Department of Finance has...

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I remember the first round of negotiations at the end of the 1980s. I was involved in the arrangements within the Department of Finance for three years in respect of relocating large parts of the Central Statistics Office, Revenue and the then Department of Social Welfare. At the time we encountered all the difficulties that have been experienced in this round, which is understandable...

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I am sorry.

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: A number of agencies have moved. While I have outlined the difficulties regarding the State agencies, several other agencies, such as the Marine Institute, moved in its entirety. Only a small number of its staff did not move. The Land Registry was in a notoriously difficult position because it had many difficulties in terms of work arrangements and delays. However, when it decentralised...

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Once it happens in the next five years, they will be happy. They would be worried about afterwards.

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I accept the Ceann Comhairle's ruling, but I will answer Deputy Gilmore briefly. He should tell the BIM staff that Clonakilty is a beautiful place, as is Dún Laoghaire.

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The members of the Department of Transport who have moved down there are extremely happy. He could also tell them that the experts in the Marine Institute, who are considered the leaders in their field, have moved to Galway, which is the Deputy's native area.

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Bertie Ahern: More than 90% of them moved. All of the other staff who have moved to locations around the country are also happy. The benefits are to the 40 or so locations around the country where these public service bodies will move to. It is hugely helpful to these towns when staff move there.