Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 249: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of civil and public servants on a county basis who have been relocated in accordance with the Government's programme for decentralisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18912/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As a result of earlier programmes of decentralisation, my Department has just over 300 posts located in Athlone and over 150 posts located in Tullamore. Some 400 Dublin based posts in my Department will decentralise — 300 of these will go to Mullingar and the remaining 100 will go to Athlone. I understand that it is anticipated that the building needed to accommodate the posts in Athlone should be available in late 2006 or early 2007. It is anticipated that the accommodation for the posts in Mullingar will be available sometime during 2008 at the earliest.

Following the completion of the move to Mullingar my Department will be fully decentralised, with its main bases being in Mullingar, Athlone and Tullamore. The only posts remaining in Dublin will be those associated with inspectorate and psychological services to Dublin schools, along with two small regional offices.

My Department has set out the areas of work to be based in Mullingar, Athlone and Tullamore in its implementation plan. The process of arranging to have each area of work staffed by people who wish to decentralise with that area of work when the accommodation is ready for occupation is underway.