Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the progress made with regard to the redeployment of the estimated 400 staff previously employed in administering farm income support schemes; the number of such staff redeployed to date in 2005; the locations and the sectors of her Department to which they have been redeployed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34181/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The redeployment of staff is being actively managed within my Department to ensure that the service levels for our clients in existing schemes are maintained and that the preparations for the introduction of the single payment scheme are progressed satisfactorily. To this end, many staff who are being freed from the livestock and premium schemes have been transferred, on a temporary basis, to work on the new single payment scheme.

My Department has also been in contact with other Departments with networks of existing local offices, in particular the Revenue Commissioners, the Departments of Social and Family Affairs, Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, the Courts Service and the Land Registry about the transfer of staff to other Departments. A total of 49 staff — one PO, one AP, seven HEOs, 11 EOs, four SOs and 25 COs — from local offices and Castlebar have already been redeployed. Further transfers are expected to take place in coming weeks.