Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will re-examine the decentralisation plans in order to facilitate staff who do not want to move and lose their promotion opportunities. [21655/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I am satisfied that promotion practices in the public service are being managed in a way which balances the achievement of the decentralisation programme in an efficient manner with the needs of staff remaining in Dublin.

In the Civil Service agreement has been reached with the general service unions that all interdepartmental promotions for general service grades will be made on the basis of the appointee agreeing to move to a post in a decentralising unit or decentralising Department or Office. In addition, any appointments from open competitions are being made on the same basis.

At present 40% of all general service promotion posts are filled through inter-departmental competition. This proportion will rise to 50% on 1st March next. All posts earmarked in the normal promotions sequence to be filled through inter-departmental competition will have a decentralisation clause attached.

Where one of those inter-departmental vacancies arises in relation to a Dublin-based post, the post is filled by an officer who wishes to remain in Dublin and the vacancy is transferred to a decentralising department. In addition, where an organisation is moving in full, all internal promotions will include a decentralisation condition in the period of 52 weeks prior to the move. Where an organisation is moving in part, 50% of all internal promotions will include a decentralisation condition in the period of 52 weeks prior to the move taking place. These arrangements allow for a proportion of all promotions arising in civil service general service posts in the normal course to have a decentralisation condition.

A parallel proposal in respect of professional and technical grades in the Civil Service is currently being discussed with the unions representing those grades.

In the state agency sector, there are a range of human resource issues, including promotions, which will need to be resolved through dialogue and negotiations. In the absence of agreement with staff interests, the management and boards of agencies have a responsibility to use all available opportunities to progress the Government policy on decentralisation.