Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the proposed extent and timetable for the decentralisation of his Department under the Government's decentralisation programme; the number of his officials who have to date indicated an interest in relocating to offices outside Dublin; and the number of officials at each grade level in this regard. [14550/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's decentralisation programme includes the relocation of the Department's headquarters, involving 378 posts, to Cavan; the seafood and coastal zone functions, 91 posts, to Clonakilty and the maritime safety directorate and the Irish Coast Guard, 47 posts, to Drogheda.

The decentralisation implementation group, DIG, in its report of November 2004, set out a timetable of late 2006 for facilities in Drogheda and early 2007 for completion of facilities in Clonakilty. The Department is working towards delivering on this schedule with the Department of Finance generally and with OPW on the property front. We are also progressing the relocation to Cavan on these fronts while awaiting a timetable for this location from the DIG. In addition, the Department is advancing preparations for staff transfers both internally and with other Departments.

The latest data from the central applications facility, CAF, supplied by the Public Appointments Service shows that 204 members of the Department's staff have expressed an interest in decentralising out of Dublin, of whom 59 have expressed an interest in decentralising with the Department. A breakdown by general service grades is in the table. This breakdown also indicates the level of interest from professional and technical grades.