Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 348: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the percentage of staff in his Department who have expressed an interest in moving to Donegal town under the decentralisation programme; and his views on whether this percentage is high enough to necessitate a move in the short to medium term. [4276/06]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 349: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the percentage of staff in his Department who have expressed an interest in moving to Buncrana under the decentralisation programme; and his views on whether this percentage is high enough to necessitate a move in the short to medium term. [4277/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 349 together.

Under the Government decentralisation programme announced in budget 2004, my Department is to relocate 230 posts to Donegal town and 120 posts to Buncrana.

The decentralisation implementation group, DIG, report to the Minister for Finance on 19 November 2004, recommended those locations and organisations to be included in the first phase of moves, and those to be regarded as potential early movers.

In the case of my Department, Sligo and Drogheda were included in the first phase and Carrick-on-Shannon was recommended as a location to be considered as an early mover.

The DIG progress report to the Minister for Finance on 30 June 2005 outlined the indicative construction start and completion dates for all locations and organisations not included in the first phase of the programme. According to the report, the indicative construction start date for Donegal town is the end of 2007 and the construction completion date is mid-2009. The corresponding dates for Buncrana are the end of 2007 and early 2009.

The Office of Public Works, OPW, has been charged with securing accommodation in the decentralised locations. My Department has been advised by OPW that a suitable site has been identified in Donegal town and a site has been purchased in Buncrana.

The Public Appointments Service established the Central Applications Facility, CAF, through which all applications for decentralising locations must be submitted. According to figures received in my Department from the CAF, the number of applicants for Donegal town and Buncrana is 107 and 34 respectively. The number of applicants serving in my Department is 40 for Donegal town and 17 for Buncrana. The CAF will remain open for new applications until the full decentralisation programme is complete.