John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 509: To ask the Minister for Finance the progress made to date in implementing the Government's decentralisation programme for civil servants; the number of civil servants who have agreed to co-operate to date; the amount it has cost to date; the amount it will cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25170/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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On 7 July 2005 the latest report of the Decentralisation Implementation Group chaired by Mr. Finbarr Flood was published. The recommendations in the report have been accepted by the Government. The report is available on the Department of Finance's website at www.finance.gov.ie. The report outlined the progress that had been made since the previous report of the implementation group was published in November 2004 under various headings: Property solutions have been identified for most of the "early mover" locations; agreement has been reached on a number of the human resources and industrial relations issues and discussions are continuing in other areas; and, detailed implementation plans have been prepared by the organisations selected as "early movers".

On 7 September 2004, the closing date for priority applications, over 9,200 civil and public servants had lodged applications or expressions of interest with the Central Applications Facility. Since then almost 1,300 new applications or expressions of interest have been made. These are being analysed at present.

When details of the Government's decentralisation programme were first announced in budget 2004 it was stated that the overall objective would be to ensure that property being acquired at a regional level is matched as closely as possible, both in time and in cost terms, by the disposal of property currently held in the Dublin region, whether held on lease or otherwise. In November 2004 the implementation group submitted a report on the procurement methodology and financial assessment of the property aspects of the programme, including a financial model, based on a property finance study carried out by the Office of Public Works. Using current assumptions this model shows that the break even position in relation to property will be reached in 2026. The total amount contractually committed to date by the OPW on site acquisition costs, excluding VAT, is €35.7 million. Expenditure to date this year is €9.9 million.

In relation to the non-property aspects of the programme, a report was prepared by Deloitte at the request of the implementation group. This report provided a model for identifying non-property costs and savings that might arise both during the relocation phase and in the context of a post-decentralised Civil Service. Decentralising organisations have now been asked to use this model to make periodic reports identifying costs incurred and savings made since the programme was announced and going forward. The first reports are being received and analysed at present.