Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 85: To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department has sought to introduce a policy that only civil servants prepared to decentralise may avail of promotion opportunities; the implications of this policy for the career path of civil servants who wish to remain in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13310/05]

Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 92: To ask the Minister for Finance if he envisages making any special provision for promotion and for new recruitment in the context of the decentralisation programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13308/05]

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 98: To ask the Minister for Finance if he plans to provide that a condition for promotion be acceptance of placement outside Dublin. [13435/05]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 116: To ask the Minister for Finance the position in regard to negotiations with the public service unions regarding his proposals to restrict promotional opportunities to staff willing to move to decentralised locations; if his attention has been drawn to the recent warning from the CPSU that its co-operation with decentralisation was conditional on the resolution of this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13361/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 85, 92, 98 and 116 together.

As I outlined to the House in my replies to similar questions on 3 March 2005, promotion and recruitment are key elements of the Government's decentralisation programme and I refer the Deputies to my earlier reply which set out the general position on this matter.

In accordance with the recommendations of the decentralisation implementation group, recruitment and promotion practices and procedures must be revised to allow Departments and offices to secure sufficient staff to allow them discharge their functions in their new locations. Clearly, where a promotion vacancy arises for a post which is being decentralised as part of the Government's programme, it is entirely reasonable for the employing Department to ask staff accepting that promotion to agree to move with that post. This in no way interferes with the voluntary nature of the programme. As I said last month, discussions are continuing between the management and the Civil Service unions with a view to agreeing new promotion and recruitment mechanisms to support implementation of the programme. It would not be appropriate for me to comment in detail on these discussions.

However, the Government wants to reach a reasonable agreement on these issues with the staff unions, that is, an agreement which supports the early and efficient implementation of the programme and, at the same time, takes account of the legitimate desire of staff remaining in Dublin to maintain opportunities for promotion.