Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 387: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position regarding the process of decentralisation in FÁS; if recent reports of the site identified for the new headquarters of FÁS being sold to another party are correct; the number of civil or public servants who have been transferred out of Dublin to date; the number that have indicated a wish to transfer; the number of specialist staff who have indicated a wish to transfer out of Dublin; the number of specialist staff required to transfer out of Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41106/06]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Government's decentralisation programme, FÁS is due to transfer its head office including some 383 posts to Birr, County Offaly. There is no sub-category for specialist posts. To date, a total of 102 FÁS staff have expressed an interest in relocating to Birr, broken down as follows:

26 FÁS staff have volunteered to move (outside of CAF)

6 FÁS staff have signed up through the CAF

34 New Entrants have signed contracts containing a relocation clause

35 Promoted staff have signed contracts with the relocation clause; it should be noted that contracts for staff on promotion are due to be the subject of a Labour Court hearing.

FÁS had entered into an agreement to purchase part of a larger site within a larger site in Birr subject to certain conditions relating to access. Due to circumstances outside the control of FÁS these conditions were not fulfilled. The vendor recently withdrew the offer to sell directly to FÁS. FÁS is, however, actively negotiating to acquire the FÁS site on the same terms from the anticipated new owner of the larger site. FÁS has already leased office space in Birr for occupation before the new building is built. There are already two staff based there and the intention is that FÁS will have transferred a further 10 there by January next, and plan to locate up to 50 in total there by the end of 2007.