Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 85: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of civil servants and other public servants who had been decentralised from Dublin to other locations by the original deadline for the completion of the plan of December 2006; his plans to review the scale or scope of the proposal in view of the poor response to the scheme to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12396/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I have no plans to change the scale or scope of the decentralisation programme. In line with the timeframes set out by the decentralisation implementation group in its June report I expect that up to 1,000 posts will have decentralised by end 2006-early 2007.

I do not accept the Deputy's view that there has been a poor response to the programme. On the contrary, the Government is very pleased with the numbers of people who have applied to the central applications facility, CAF. There have been about 10,600 applications so far and new applications are being received each week. The CAF remains open and continues to accept further new applications.

In addition, there has already been considerable movement of staff within and between Departments and offices in preparation for decentralisation with over 1,200 officers already assigned to posts that will decentralise. Departments are continuing their detailed preparations in regard to all aspects of the programme.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for Finance the progress and cost to date of the Government's decentralisation programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12462/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To date, over 1,200 civil servants have been assigned to decentralising posts. This represents 17% of the overall number of approximately 7,200 Civil Service posts earmarked for decentralisation. Many of these staff are located in Dublin for a transition period to enable effective transfer of skills and knowledge and to ensure that quality customer service continues to be delivered as decentralisation is rolled out. A small number of advance moves have taken place to decentralised locations to date, including Sligo, Portlaoise, Athlone, Thurles, Tipperary town and Na Forbacha in Galway.

I refer the Deputy to the decentralisation implementation group's July, 2005 report which identified progress in regard to property, implementation planning, numbers of applicants and human resources and industrial relations issues. In line with the group's approach to phasing, the report provided indicative construction start and completion dates for the procurement of office accommodation in the new locations. The full contents of this report can be accessed at www.decentralisation.gov.ie.

The final construction dates can only be confirmed when the tender process has been completed in respect of each location and are contingent on the level and quality of market interest in respect of sites, successful negotiation of contracts, receipt of acceptable planning permissions, timely completion of briefs and successful acquisition of suitable sites. I understand the OPW is currently updating the position on the property aspects of the programme in light of experience to date.

When details of the Government's decentralisation programme were first announced in budget 2004 it was stated that the overall objective would be to ensure that property being acquired at a regional level would 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. In November 2004 the implementation group submitted a report on the procurement methodology and financial assessment of the property aspects of the programme, including a financial model, based on a property finance study carried out by the Office of Public Works. While the prevailing property market conditions in each area will have a bearing on cost, this model indicates that the break-even position in regard to property will be reached in about 20 years.

The latest information available from the OPW suggests that the total amount committed in principle to date by the OPW on site acquisition costs, excluding VAT, is approximately €36.3 million. In regard to other non-property aspects of the programme, a report was prepared by Deloitte & Touche at the request of the implementation group. This report provided a model for identifying non-property costs and savings that might arise both during the relocation phase and in the context of a post-decentralised Civil Service. Decentralising organisations have now been asked to use this model to make periodic reports identifying costs incurred and savings made since the programme was announced and going forward. I will forward the Deputy information on these costs when the relevant reports have been received from decentralising organisations. I would not anticipate, however, at this stage that these costs would be significant.