Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of persons within each unit or agency of his Department who have opted to move to the proposed new location for their unit; the number of other Dublin-based employees of his Department who have opted to move to one of the decentralising units within his Department; the number of persons who have, to date in 2005, been assigned to each of the decentralising units; and the number of persons who have opted not to move with their decentralising unit who have been reassigned or offered an alternative posting. [36735/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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Ten staff members from within the units of my Department decentralising to Clonakilty have formally accepted transfer offers to that location. Five members of staff in areas of the Department relocating to Drogheda have formally accepted offers to transfer there. A total of 18 staff members currently within areas in the Department due to decentralise to Cavan have formally committed to move to that location. A further 16 staff members within these areas have made a first preference priority application to decentralise to Cavan under the central applications facility and have yet to receive formal offers of transfer for decision. In addition to the above, eight other Dublin-based Department staff have formally committed to relocate to one of the three decentralised locations.

Three staff members who wish to relocate to Clonakilty have been re-assigned to units within the Department for the purpose of decentralising to that location. One staff member who has opted to decentralise to Drogheda has been re-assigned to a unit of the Department that is relocating there. One other member of staff who has opted to decentralise to Cavan has been re-assigned to a Department unit that is due to relocate there. The re-assignment of these five staff took place in recent months.

Sixteen staff members who have not opted to decentralise with their Department units have been re-assigned to other areas within the Department, to date, in 2005. These re-assignments did not arise from decentralisation but as part of mobility policy. The areas of the Department to which these staff have been re-assigned are also due to relocate, as all of the Department is due to decentralise to Cavan. In 2005 to date, 15 former staff members who did not opt to decentralise with my Department have transferred to other Departments or offices. Only three of these transfers were, however, due to decentralisation.

The most recent data from the central applications facility indicate that there are 36 applications for the 39 posts in Sustainable Energy Ireland, SEI, which is decentralising to Dundalk. Some 24 staff, or 62% of the work force, have expressed an interest in moving with the organisation. In the case of the Central Fisheries Board, CFB, 31 expressions of interest have been received for the 62 posts decentralising to Carrick-on-Shannon, of which three are internal to the CFB.

In the case of Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, expressions of interest, via the central applications facility, to date are 36 applications for the 93 BIM posts in Clonakilty and no applications from within BIM. Public service unions have advised their members in State agencies such as BIM not to engage in the central applications process. However, internal staff surveys suggest interest in relocating with the agency of up to 26 staff. Central developments will have a bearing on trends and developments at agency level over the coming months.