Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)

Further staff will move to a wide selection of locations in 2006, including 130 staff of the Department of Finance who will move to Tullamore.

The level of interest in decentralisation continues to be very strong and the central applications facility remains open for new applications. An average of 100 new applications have been received every month for the past 14 months. These 1,400 new applications are in addition to the 9,200 applications received in the priority period up to September 2004. New applications are expected to continue as preparations for the individual moves intensify within decentralising organisations. Many people have transferred to the decentralising organisations in preparation for the transfer to the country. To date, over 800 staff have been assigned to their new decentralising posts. In the meantime, staff wishing to remain in Dublin have moved to posts which will not transfer. I emphasise again that the Government will ensure that the entire programme proceeds.