Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 1146: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the timetable for the decentralisation of his Department to Carrick on Shannon; the number of staff at each grade to be decentralised; the number of applications made at each grade under the CAF for decentralisation to Carrick on Shannon; the timetable for the decentralisation of an advanced party; if temporary accommodation has been obtained; the number of staff at each grade which will be facilitated in this phase of the decentralisation; if a permanent site has been obtained; the timetable for the completion of this facility; the number of staff it will cater for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1055/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Programme of Decentralisation, 220 posts in my Department are to be relocated to Carrick-on-Shannon.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) is charged with securing accommodation in Carrick-on- Shannon for this Department under the decentralisation programme. Following an examination of the availability of accommodation in Carrick-on-Shannon, it was decided that a building under construction would provide the most suitable solution in the short-term and would allow the Department progress its decentralisation programme. The construction of the building is now complete and the fit-out is underway and is on schedule for occupation in March 2007. The transfer of staff will commence immediately thereafter.

The most recent progress report from the Decentralisation Implementation Group indicates that this building will provide 186 accommodation spaces. Initially, it is proposed to transfer the following posts to Carrick-on-Shannon; 3 Principal Officers, 10 Assistant Principal Officers, 16 Higher Executive Officers, 22 Executive Officers, 7 Staff Officers, 66 Clerical Officers and 3 Service Officers

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 location. The 273 priority applicants include 3 Principal Officers, 7 Assistant Principal Officers, 19 Higher Executive Officers, 1 Administrative Officer, 50 Executive Officers, 22 Staff Officers, 166 Clerical Officers and 5 at various other grades.

The Department is committed to completing the programme in Carrick-on-Shannon and will review the position when the initial moves have taken place.