Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 374: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of civil servants to be decentralised from his Department to Carrick on Shannon; the number who have applied to transfer to the town; when the first phase will be completed and the numbers involved; the capacity of the proposed building to house the decentralised offices; the plans there are to facilitate the full decentralisation to the one site; and the reason the new building will only have capacity for half the staff which will be decentralised. [37477/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Under the Decentralisation Programme 220 posts in my Department are to be decentralised to Carrick-on-Shannon.

According to figures received from the Central Application Facility (CAF), through which all applications for decentralisation locations must be submitted, 273 applicants applied for Carrick-on-Shannon before the priority applicant date of 7 September 2004. Since this date, there have been 23 new applications and 14 applicants have changed their application to record Carrick-on-Shannon as their first preference.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) has been charged with securing accommodation for this Department under the decentralisation programme. Following an examination of the availability of accommodation in Carrick-on-Shannon, it was decided, in consultation with this Department, that a building under construction would provide the most suitable solution in the short-term and would allow the Department to make progress on it's decentralisation programme. The construction and fit-out of a building is underway and is expected to be ready for occupation in the first quarter of 2007.

The most recent progress report from the Decentralisation Implementation Group indicates that there are 186 accommodation spaces available in this building. Initially, some 130 posts will transfer and the Department is pressing ahead with the plans for moving these posts as early as possible in 2007. The Department is committed to completing the programme in Carrick-on-Shannon and will review the position when the initial moves have taken place.