Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 1170: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons outside Dublin and the number inside Dublin who have indicated a willingness to move to the decentralised office in Carrick-on-Shannon; the number in each case who have to date been assigned to make the move; if the release in each case will be made prior to assignments to replace the moving staff; and the number who have been assigned to replace the moving staff in each case. [1972/07]

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.

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. Of the total of 310 applicants, 86 are Dublin based with the remaining 224 based outside of Dublin.

To date, 21 Dublin based staff have received offers of transfer under the programme of Decentralisation — 10 have accepted the offer, 10 have declined the offer and one person is currently considering the offer. 19 Officers have been assigned to Carrick-on-Shannon bound Sections, of whom 7 are Dublin based. Work continues on the assignment of the remaining officers.

A number of applicants were already serving in business units due to decentralise to Carrick-on-Shannon while other applicants were appointed to replace officers moving under the programme of decentralisation to other locations. Key trainers have been selected in each of the Sections decentralising and they will provide the necessary training for newly appointed staff.