Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of civil servants who have transferred to offices outside Dublin under the decentralisation programme to date; the percentage of these who had a previous transfer within a two year period of the decentralisation transfer; the number of these people who transferred from a non-Dublin office to a Dublin office in the initial transfer; the average time spent in the Dublin office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10232/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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One Hundred and eighteen (118) staff of my Department have decentralised to Tullamore and a further six (6) have accepted offers of decentralisation. Of those in Tullamore, ninety-four (94) moved to my Department to decentralise to Tullamore. The data available in my Department on the previous careers of these staff do not indicate in all cases the previous locations of staff or whether or not they had an earlier transfer within a two year period of the decentralisation transfer. However, nineteen (19) of these staff came to Dublin for training prior to moving to Tullamore. The total time spent in Dublin was six hundred and seventeen weeks (617), giving an average period of thirty two (32) weeks.

I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that forty six (46) staff of their office have decentralised to temporary accommodation in Limerick in preparation for the move to Newcastlewest and a further five (5) have accepted offers of decentralisation. Of those in the temporary accommodation in Limerick, eight (8) moved to the Office to decentralise to Newcastlewest, two (2) of whom served in Dublin with other Departments prior to moving to Limerick.

Ten (10) staff have transferred from other Departments to the Revenue Commissioners in preparation for the move to Kilrush, seven (7) of whom are currently in Limerick, one (1) in Ennis and (2) in Dublin. Of the seven (7) serving in Limerick one (1) was based in Dublin prior to their transfer. A further twenty eight (28) staff of the Revenue Commissioners and sixteen (16) staff of other Departments have accepted offers to decentralise to Kilrush.

Seven (7) staff have transferred from other Departments to the Revenue Commissioners, Limerick in preparation for the move to Listowel. Three (3) of whom were Dublin based prior to their transfers. A further twenty four (24) staff of the Revenue Commissioners and seventeen (17) staff of other Departments have accepted offers to decentralise to Listowel. I am also informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the data available on the previous careers of staff who have transferred in does not indicate in all cases the previous locations of staff.

As part of the overall decentralisation programme the Revenue Commissioners also intend to move 100 staff to Navan and 250 staff to Athy. To date, eighty (80) staff have accepted decentralisation offers for Navan, three (3) of whom are currently serving in provincial locations. The OPW are currently negotiating a lease for suitable accommodation and it is expected that Revenue will be in a position to move to Navan in the third quarter of 2007. To date fifty four (54) staff have accepted offers for Athy of whom eight (8) are currently serving in provincial locations. It is intended to send an advance party of approximately 50 staff to Athy in 2007 and the OPW are examining a number of possibilities for permanent accommodation.

With regard to the other agencies under the aegis of my Department, arrangements for decentralisation are proceeding in accordance with their implementation plans which have been prepared and submitted by each of the agencies to the Decentralisation Implementation Group. To-date, no staff have been decentralised by the Public Appointments Service (PAS), Valuation Office (VA), Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) or the Office of Public Works (OPW). However, it is intended that the OPW will commence the decentralisation of an advance party of up to forty staff to Claremorris later this year.