Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 836: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the decentralisation of a section of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25900/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Under the Government's decentralisation programme all Dublin based operations of my Department are being decentralised, with the exception of Met Éireann, ENFO, the Private Rented Tenancies Board and a small co-ordination section which it is proposed to retain in Dublin to assist with the Department's Dáil and other business. The programme involves the relocation of my Department's operations to four locations in the South East: Wexford, Waterford, New Ross and Kilkenny.

Implementation plans, setting out the issues to be addressed in implementing the Decentralisation Programme for this Department, have been submitted to the Decentralisation Implementation Group. These plans are also published on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. At this stage a total of 228 staff, in respect of 661 posts to be decentralised and which are fillable through the CAF, have confirmed their availability to decentralise to the South East. 101 of these are now in the Department and the process of agreeing arrangements for the early transfer of the others to the Department has commenced. My Department is continuing the process of contacting other staff who applied for one of the four locations as a second or subsequent choice or who applied after 7 September 2004 — the date for receipt of priority applications.

In relation to property requirements I announced earlier this year that my Department had reached agreement with OPW on the site for its headquarters in Wexford, which will be acquired from Wexford Borough Council. The OPW has also identified a suitable site in Waterford City for the Department's offices and purchase terms have been agreed with Waterford City Council, subject to the approval of the elected members. The indicative timescale provided for the completion of the headquarters is Quarter 3 2008 and mid 2009 for offices in Waterford. As regards the remaining two locations the OPW is evaluating site options at present.