Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 560: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will support and examine the possibility of offering Dublin based staff the opportunity to work nearer to their homes in the decentralisation plan; and if sensible offers will be made due to traffic and congestion issues. [3384/07]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Government decision on decentralisation, announced by the Minister for Finance in his Budget statement on 3 December 2003, provides for the transfer of all of my Department's Dublin based civil service staff to Newbridge, Co. Kildare. The number of staff to be relocated to Newbridge is 200.

The arrangements regarding the assignment of staff who wish to remain in Dublin are decided, in the first instance, by the Department of Finance. My Department complies with any such arrangements.

To date, 20 of my Department's staff have volunteered for assignment to the Central Statistics Office, Swords; the Courts Service, Smithfield; the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the civilian area of An Garda Síochána and have been facilitated in this regard. My Department will continue to make every effort to ensure that staff remaining in Dublin are relocated as near to the area of their choice as possible.