Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 138: To ask the Minister for Finance if the issue of confining promotions to only persons willing to decentralise has been modified as a result of recent Labour Court hearings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19381/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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In its recent recommendation in a dispute between SIPTU and FÁS concerning Decentralisation and FÁS contracts of employment, the Labour Court recommended that the matter be referred back to the appropriate central body, at which the issues should be teased out with a view to arriving at agreed long-term solutions, in consultation with all the parties involved. In addition, I understand that, subsequent to the Labour Court recommendation, the Labour Relations Commission has held three conciliation conferences on the matter and is in ongoing contact with the parties. I am confident that the use of the recognised industrial relations procedures will lead to a resolution of the issues in dispute. It is important to recognise, however, that the Labour Court recommendation related to a particular State Agency.

It would not be true to say that promotions are confined only to persons willing to decentralise. For example, agreement has already been reached on a number of human resource and industrial relations issues with the general service unions, including an agreement on promotions which provides opportunities for personnel willing to decentralise as well as those who wish to remain in Dublin.

The position in relation to the State Agencies is of course more complex and the current dispute at FÁS highlights some of those complexities. The Government has always said that this process is voluntary. Any staff member wishing to remain in Dublin will be accommodated with a public service job in Dublin. However, there is a need to balance the business needs of the organisation in furthering its relocation objective with the needs of staff remaining in Dublin. In these circumstances promotions policy must take account of the reality of Decentralisation. These issues can only be resolved through dialogue and negotiations.

The Decentralisation Implementation Group recognises that resolution of outstanding human resources issues is central to the overall implementation process in the State Agencies. It recognised, for example, that proposals for inter-organisational mobility go against traditional employment practices. Nevertheless, it considers that it should prove possible to facilitate the transfers of those public and civil servants who wish, also on a voluntary basis, to relocate to provincial locations. In its view, it is precisely this type of ground-breaking initiative which is needed to give impetus to the implementation of the programme.