Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 291: To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the plight of civil servants working on the north side of Dublin in locations such as Garda headquarters in Dublin 7 and the Department of Defence, Dublin 9; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that many of the civil servants who are opting for family, personal and work reasons to remain in the north Dublin area are being threatened to be moved to city centre areas, usually on the south side of Dublin; if his attention has further been drawn to the traffic and access problems for persons commuting from the north side to the south side especially persons working part-time or job share; his proposals to provide decentralised offices on the north side of Dublin which would allow civil servants on the north side to continue working on the north side. [31351/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Office of Public Works is responsible for both property procurement and disposal. The overall objective is 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 held in the Dublin region, whether held on lease or otherwise. No decisions have been made yet on the disposal, retention or re-allocation of office buildings in Dublin, post decentralisation. The Office of Public Works will bear in mind the particular requirements of Departments remaining in Dublin and the need to ensure that all office space remaining in Dublin is utilised in the most cost effective manner possible.

Civil and public servants who do not wish to transfer to a decentralised location will be assigned to an alternative public service post in Dublin. Each individual will be able to indicate via his or her personnel section the organisations remaining in Dublin which would interest them. As people are appointed from the central applications facility to decentralising locations, vacancies become available in Dublin and these posts will be available to be filled by people who wish to remain in Dublin. Consultations will be held with the public service unions on an ongoing basis to address the concerns of all staff affected by the programme.