Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 305: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of persons within each unit or State 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. [36741/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is currently located in two main centres in Dublin, where the headquarters are located, and in Na Forbacha in Galway. Almost all of the headquarters' functions, involving some 165 posts, are being decentralised to Knock Airport with the remaining functions, involving about 13 posts, going to Na Forbacha. All staff opting to move are, by definition, assigned to decentralising units. So far, 18 members of staff currently based in Dublin have opted to move to Knock Airport while four staff members previously based in Dublin are already assigned to Na Forbacha.

My Department is planning to relocate up to 70 posts to Mayo, in advance of the main move, subject to the availability of suitable temporary accommodation. The Department and the Office of Public Works are currently seeking to source suitable accommodation and I hope that this advance move can take place from mid-2006. It is planned also to have the remaining Na Forbacha posts filled by end-2006. To date three staff members who opted to decentralise with other Departments have been re-assigned to those Departments.

Pobal, formerly ADM, will be transferring 40 posts to Clifden, County Galway. The first phase of this programme will involve the transfer of the management of the rural social scheme, RSS, involving ten posts, to Clifden. As no applications to move to Clifden have been received from existing staff, the ten posts involved have been advertised nationally and regionally. This recruitment process is at an advanced stage and successful candidates will take up duty in Dublin early in January 2006. Following appropriate training they will relocate to Clifden by end-February 2006.

Finally, the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland and I have jointly instructed Foras na Gaeilge to submit to us, by the end of the current year, a draft implementation plan in relation to decentralisation of staff of the Foras to Gaoth Dobhair.