Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 366: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the assessment of the financial implications of decentralisation which have been carried out and in particular, if the financial implications of the cost of training and additional staff during the on the job training in period; the cost of new recruitment to meet gaps in suitable applicants for the decentralised location; the cost of additional promotions to fill the positions required; if the cost of delays in redeploying staff which opt not to move with their post and cost of retraining and redeployment have been identified in respect of the proposed moves (details supplied). [32602/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The Department has conducted a preliminary assessment of the possible costs associated with decentralisation, in terms of one-off costs over the period of relocation and ongoing annual costs after relocation. Further comprehensive analysis is under way to underpin fully quantified estimates of the costs. The Deputy also asked about the cost of implementing strategies to address the issues raised by decentralisation. The Department's knowledge management initiative, ICT strategy and training and development strategies predate the decentralisation programme. Those initiatives, which have been synchronised with the decentralisation programme as major planks of the Department's risk mitigation plans, have not yet resulted in material additional expenditure over and above that already planned for the initiatives. Transfer activity to fill posts for all three decentralisation locations is under way. While recruitment costs are matters for the Public Appointments Service and the Department of Finance in the first instance, I advise the Deputy that no recruitment need has yet been identified in the context of decentralisation and no similar promotion requirement has been identified to date.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 367: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if the audit committee of his Department or its agencies have reviewed the risk management assessment of the proposed decentralisation proposals (details supplied); if it has approved the assessment or made any recommendations for revising the risk assessment or changing the proposed risk mitigation strategies. [32610/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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As part of its normal business, the Department's audit committee reviews the risk assessment and mitigation strategies across the entire Department, including the risks associated with decentralisation. The committee, at a meeting in June 2004, considered that the decentralisation process was potentially the most serious risk identified to date, because of the potential loss of corporate knowledge to the Department. The committee advised that the risk would have to be managed carefully. Subsequent to that meeting, the Department presented its decentralisation plan, which highlights the major risks and mitigating strategies associated with decentralisation.