Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 386: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, with regard to decentralisation proposals that are relevant to his Department he is satisfied that sufficient numbers of staff at secretary and assistant secretary level are currently willing to decentralise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5026/06]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 387: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Secretary General of his Department has consulted with officers at assistant secretary level regarding decentralisation; the number who have expressed an interest in decentralising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5041/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 386 and 387 together.

Under the Government's decentralisation programme, the development co-operation directorate of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is currently based in Dublin, is scheduled to decentralise to Limerick in the first quarter of 2007. The directorate is headed by a director general, at assistant secretary level.

Early in 2004, the Secretary General of the Department invited all departmental assistant secretaries to inform him if they had an interest in decentralising to Limerick with the development cooperation directorate, or elsewhere with other Departments or offices. As a result of this approach, two assistant secretaries expressed an interest in decentralising to Limerick. The post of director general of DCD has now been filled by one of those officers. No expressions of interest in decentralising with other Departments or offices have been received.