Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 249: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if, in respect of decentralisation proposals that are relevant to her Department, she has satisfied herself that sufficient numbers of staff at Secretary General and assistant secretary level are willing to decentralise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5023/06]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 250: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the Secretary General of her Department has consulted with officers at assistant secretary level regarding decentralisation; the number who have expressed an interest in decentralising; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5038/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 249 and 250 together.

My Department is not one of the Departments earmarked for decentralisation under the Civil Service decentralisation programme. Therefore, the issue of staff at Secretary General and assistant secretary level wishing to decentralise with my Department does not arise.

In 2004, the Department of Finance requested each Secretary General or head of office to discuss the question of decentralisation with his or her senior officers at assistant secretary level. In total, up to 60 posts at this level are due to relocate under the decentralisation programme. The decentralisation implementation group reported in September 2004 that at that stage, 19 individuals indicated that they would move or were likely to move and a further 19 would consider moving at a later stage.

I can confirm that the Secretary General of my Department consulted assistant secretaries regarding decentralisation. However, I do not consider it appropriate to indicate the individual preferences of officers at this level in this Department but I am confident that there will be a sufficient cadre of people at this level to provide continuity of leadership and management experience as the decentralisation programme is rolled out over the coming years.