Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 260: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will ensure the least disruption to civil servants who want to remain in Dublin; and if work locations nearer their geographical areas will be offered due to traffic and congestion issues. [3390/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has always said that the Decentralisation Programme is a voluntary one. We are fully cognisant of the fact that it fundamentally impacts on the staff in the organisations affected, on their career choices and their expectations. What is required therefore is both a successful business outcome and an outcome which meets the needs of the staff involved — both those who wish to relocate and those opting to remain in Dublin. To ensure that these needs are fully addressed, my Department has put in place detailed arrangements to discuss the full range of staff concerns with staff representatives. The key forum in this regard is the General Council Subcommittee on Decentralisation, which meets monthly.

Discussions have concluded under this forum on the arrangements to be put in place for civil service general service staff who do not wish to decentralise with their existing or another department. Under these arrangements, 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 and progress in this priority area is being monitored in co-operation with Departments and the relevant unions, to ensure that they are operating efficiently.

Staff may apply for specific departments and if they are interested in working in a specific location, they may apply to move to that location after moving to the new department who will deal with their application in accordance with that Department's normal internal procedures. While every effort will be made to facilitate staff in relation to location, issues such as grade, timing and business requirements may not always coincide to allow departments to guarantee that staff preferences can be met in all cases.

More broadly, the Office of Public Works is responsible for both property procurement and disposal. The overall objective is to ensure that property being acquired at a regional level is matched as closely as possible, both in time and in cost terms, by the disposal of property currently held in the Dublin region, whether held on lease or otherwise. No final decisions have been made yet on the disposal, retention or re-allocation of office buildings in Dublin, post decentralisation. The Office of Public Works will bear in mind the particular requirements of Departments remaining in Dublin and the need to ensure that all office space remaining in Dublin is utilised in the most cost effective manner possible.