Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for Finance the latest information available from the central applications facility in respect of applications from civil servants and other public servants currently located in Dublin who wish to transfer to new locations outside of Dublin under the Government's decentralisation programme; the way this compares with the Government target of 10,300; if agreement has been reached with all public service unions regarding promotional opportunities for persons who chose to move and those who opt to remain where they are; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39244/06]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 81: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of civil servants and other public servants who had been decentralised from Dublin to other locations by the original deadline for the completion of the plan of December 2006; if, in view of the poor response to the scheme to date, he has plans to review the scale or scope of the proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39245/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 150: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of personnel relocated to date under the Government's decentralisation programme; his further proposals in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39123/06]

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 162: To ask the Minister for Finance the progress or otherwise in implementing the decentralisation programme; the issues that have been brought to his attention where difficulties or concerns have arisen for staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38955/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of civil servants deployed to the various locations throughout the country arising from the Governments previous budgetary announcements on decentralisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39557/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 80, 81, 150, 162 and 221 together.

I have no plans to review the scale or scope of the decentralisation programme. A progress report by the Decentralisation Implementation Group (DIG) was presented to Government in early October and published on 4th October last. The Group reported that implementation of the Decentralisation Programme is progressing satisfactorily.

Over ten thousand, six hundred civil and public servants have applied to relocate under the Programme. The Central Applications Facility remains open and continues to receive applications. Some 53% of applicants are currently based in Dublin.

All Departments and Offices have produced implementation plans setting out the detailed arrangements they are putting in place to plan for relocation while also ensuring business continuity and effective delivery of services to customers. The plans are comprehensive and their preparation involved detailed reviews of business processes as well as the logistics of the move. Departments and Offices are taking a prudent approach in relation to assessing the risks involved and the adoption of appropriate measures to manage business risk.

Discussions have concluded on a number of human resource and industrial relations matters and are being progressed on other issues. To date decentralising organisations have established a presence in 12 new locations.

Over the next 18 months decentralising Departments and Offices will have a presence in a total of 29 new locations around the country. Over the next 5 months alone, it is anticipated that the number of decentralised staff in their new locations will have grown to over 1,000 in approximately 20 towns around the country. The precise numbers moving by end year will depend on the timeframes for completion of fit out and installation of necessary ICT (information communications technology) and telecommunication cabling and equipment.

At end October 2006, over 2,300 staff have been assigned to decentralising posts. These are currently in place or are being trained in advance of decentralisation to a new location, as soon as accommodation becomes available. Overall approximately 60% of assignees to date are officers who were originally based in Dublin.

A facility is being operated through the Public Appointments Service to allow staff remaining in Dublin to express preferences in relation to the organisations to which they would like to transfer. This will be an ongoing process throughout the transition phase of the Programme. Progress in this priority area is currently being reviewed in co-operation with Departments and the relevant unions, to ensure that they are operating efficiently.

The property programme is well advanced. Property acquisition negotiations have been completed or significantly advanced in 36 locations.

The OPW conducts a review of the property timeframes for permanent accommodation on an ongoing basis. Based on its experience to date in relation to timeframes for property selection and acquisition, brief and design issues, tendering periods, planning issues and contractual arrangements, it has provided an updated schedule of the likely availability of accommodation.

This schedule allows for the planned movement of up to 6,800 staff in the next three years in line with the target set out in June 2005. The delivery time for some locations will be later than originally projected, however, leading to a greater concentration of moves in 2009 rather than in 2008. Matters outside the control of the OPW, which could give rise to delay, will continue to be monitored and mitigating action taken where possible.

There are of course elements of the programme which continue to present challenges. These include the position of professional and technical personnel who wish to remain in Dublin, the State agency sector and ICT areas.

Having already met with a number of Secretaries General, the Decentralisation Implementation Group is currently meeting with some of the Chief Executives of State Agencies to discuss their Implementation Plans, the planning framework in place, to assess progress to date and to hear about the challenges arising and steps proposed by the agencies to address them.

Across the public service, recruitment and promotion practices generally are being managed in a way which facilitates the achievement of the Decentralisation Programme in an efficient manner. Agreement has been reached with the Civil Service unions representing general service staff that all interdepartmental promotions will be made on the basis of the appointee agreeing to move to a post in a decentralising unit, Department or Office. In addition, any appointments from open competitions are being made on the same basis. Where an organisation is moving in full, all internal promotions will include a decentralisation condition in the 52 week period prior to the move. Where an organisation is moving in part, 50% of all internal promotions will include a decentralisation condition in the 52 week period 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.

Discussions are ongoing with the unions representing professional and technical staff in the Civil Service on this issue.

The position in relation to the State Agencies is of course more complex. The Government has always said that this is a voluntary Programme. Any staff member wishing to remain in Dublin will be accommodated with a public service job in Dublin. I am aware of the need to balance the business needs of the organisation in furthering its relocation objective with the needs of staff remaining in Dublin. The DIG in its recent report has highlighted the need to make progress on the question of transferability between State Agencies and between agencies and Civil Service. It is my strong view that these issues can only be resolved through dialogue and negotiations with the unions representing the State Agency sector.

In relation to ICT issues, a protocol has been prepared by my Department to address the filling of ICT posts and a sub-group of General Council has been established to move the process forward. The Centre for Management and Organisational Development (CMOD) has already concluded a pilot programme of ICT certified training and is currently developing tender proposals to source trainers to provide such certified training for new entrants to the ICT area. These initiatives will assist in ensuring a pipeline of skilled ICT staff in the Civil Service.

The issue of managed data centre services was also addressed by the DIG. The OPW is being asked to convene a working group to determine (i) the feasibility of procuring private sector versus State owned accommodation for data centres, including a cost benefit analysis of the options, and (ii) the logistics, costs, financing and staffing implications of State managed/operated data centres. It is expected that this work will be completed by Spring of 2007.