Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 248: To ask the Minister for Finance the Department which will be located on the north side of Dublin following decentralisation; and if staff who currently work in the three Departments currently based on Dublin's north side will be given first refusal on all posts therein; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8168/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Office of Public Works is responsible for both property procurement and disposal. The overall objective is to ensure that property being acquired at a regional level be matched as closely as possible, both in time and in cost terms, by the disposal of property currently held in the Dublin region, whether held on lease or otherwise.

No final decisions have been made yet on the disposal, retention or reallocation of office buildings in Dublin, after decentralisation. The Office of Public Works will bear in mind the particular requirements of Departments remaining in Dublin and the need to ensure that all office space remaining in Dublin is utilised in the most cost effective manner possible.

Civil and public servants who do not wish to transfer to a decentralised location will be assigned to an alternative public service post in Dublin. Each individual will be able to indicate via his or her personnel section the organisations remaining in Dublin which would interest them.

As information becomes available from the central applications facility, CAF, it will be possible to identify vacancies which will arise in organisations remaining in Dublin as a result of individuals in those organisations applying to transfer to decentralised posts. Consultations will be held with the public service unions on an ongoing basis to address the concerns of all staff affected by the programme.