Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 251: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of the 425 decentralised jobs promised to Cavan town in Budget 2003 which have been delivered; if they have not yet been delivered the precise timeframe for delivery of these decentralised jobs; the number of people who have opted for decentralisation to each location; and the number of those who have indicated their willingness to move who are currently working in Dublin. [23756/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's decentralisation programme provides for the relocation of my Department's Headquarters, involving 378 posts, to Cavan at the end of 2009. A total of 171 first preference priority applications were received on the Central Applications Facility (CAF) for the 378 posts in Cavan. Of these, 109 were from people currently working in Dublin. I have recently announced my decision to relocate a small advance party of decentralising civil servants to temporary accommodation in Cavan this August.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 252: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of the 265 decentralised jobs promised to County Leitrim in Budget 2003 which have been delivered; if they have not yet been delivered the precise timeframe for delivery of these decentralised jobs; the number of people who have opted for decentralisation to each location; and the number of those who have indicated their willingness to move who are currently working in Dublin. [23758/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's Decentralisation Programme, announced in December 2003, included proposals to relocate the Central Fisheries Board (CFB), an Agency of my Department, to Carrick-on-Shannon. This proposal involved the decentralisation of the 62 Dublin-based posts in the Board. The Programme also included proposals to decentralise part of the Department of Social and Family Affairs (220 posts) to Carrick-on-Shannon.

The latest information my Department has received from the Public Appointments Service, based on the decentralisation Central Applications Facility (CAF), is that 42 first choice expressions of interest have been received for the CFB posts of which 18 are from persons working in Dublin.

My Department and the CFB have liaised closely with the Office of Public Works (OPW) on the issue of accommodation. OPW has advised that while they have secured an accommodation solution for the Department of Social and Family Affairs, the availability of suitable sites and property in the town for the CFB remains a significant challenge. In this regard, the Decentralisation Implementation Group (DIG) has not yet set out a definitive timetable for the relocation of the Board.

In addition, following a major review of the inland fisheries sector, the Government has decided that a fundamental restructuring of the sector is required. This will involve the establishment of a new National Inland Fisheries Authority (NIFA), which will subsume the executive functions of the existing central and regional fisheries boards. The Government's decentralisation policy will apply to the location of the NIFA's headquarters in the same way that it applies to all other public sector bodies.