Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 184: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the extent to which decentralisation has been progressed; the locations to which public servants have agreed to relocate; the number involved; when he expects the programme to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17641/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Over ten thousand six hundred civil and public servants have applied to relocate under the Programme. Of these, approximately 5,600 or 53% are currently based in Dublin. The Central Applications Facility remains open and continues to receive applications. Discussions have concluded on a number of human resource and industrial relations matters and are being progressed on other issues. At the end of April 2007, over 2,700 staff had been assigned to decentralising posts. It is expected that over 1,000 will be in place this summer in over 20 new locations, while the remainder are being trained in advance of decentralisation to a new location, as soon as accommodation becomes available.

It is envisaged that by the end of 2007 public services will be delivered from 33 of the decentralisation towns with approximately 2,000 staff transferred. The precise numbers moving within that time frame will depend on the availability of property as well as timeframes for completion of fit out and installation of necessary ICT (information communications technology) and telecommunication cabling and equipment. The property programme is well advanced. The OPW conducts a review of the property timeframes for permanent accommodation on an ongoing basis. Based on its experience to date in relation to timeframes for property selection and acquisition, brief and design issues, tendering periods, planning issues and contractual arrangements, it has provided an updated schedule of the likely availability of accommodation.

This schedule allows for the planned movement of up to 6,800 staff in the next three years in line with the timeframes set out in the June 2005 report of the Decentralisation Implementation Group (DIG). The delivery time for some locations will be later than originally projected, however, leading to a greater concentration of moves in 2009 rather than in 2008. Matters outside the control of the OPW, which could give rise to delay, will continue to be monitored and mitigating action taken where possible. Discussions are ongoing with the unions representing professional & technical staff in the Civil Service on the range of industrial relations issues arising, including promotion arrangements and placing of staff who wish to remain in Dublin.

Thirty State Agencies are due to relocate under the Government's Decentralisation Programme. Some 2,340 posts are involved, or just over 22% of the programme. The DIG did not set specific timeframes for the State Agencies as they believed that it was the responsibility of the board and senior management of each agency to implement the Government decision and to report to its "parent" department in the first instance on the progress being made. The DIG noted in its latest Report that while progress has been made by some State agencies, there has been a marked lack of action in some other agencies. The Group is currently meeting with CEOs from a number of State agencies to get an overview of progress to date and to identify the challenges remaining in implementing the Government policy.

The main issues facing the State agencies are those relating to the filling of posts in undersubscribed locations, the placing of staff choosing to remain in Dublin and promotion arrangements. These issues are the subject of ongoing contacts between my Department and ICTU. An approach based on negotiations and agreement has enabled significant progress to be made in relation to the Civil Service moves and it is the intention to continue with this policy in relation to the State Agency sector.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 185: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the position in regard to decentralisation; the costs associated with the project to date; the total anticipated costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17642/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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When the Government's Decentralisation Programme was first announced, it was stated that the overall objective would be 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. In November 2004 the Decentralisation Implementation Group prepared a report on the procurement methodology and financial assessment of the property aspects of the programme, including a financial model, based on a property finance study carried out by the Office of Public Works. While the prevailing property market conditions in each area will have a bearing on cost, this model indicates that the break even position in relation to property will be reached in about 20 years.

Initial costings of the Decentralisation Programme estimated a gross cost of approximately €900m in respect of procuring sites and office accommodation for the Programme. This financial model for the Programme also includes estimates of receipts from sales of State owned property in Dublin which will be surplus to requirements post-decentralisation. The financial model is currently being updated by OPW. While individual aspects of the underlying assumptions may have changed, current indications are that the property elements of the original Programme will come in within the overall envelope of €900m (in 2004 prices). In terms of actual outlay to date, the total amount committed in principle by the OPW on site acquisition costs, excluding VAT, is approximately €79 million. Expenditure to date is approximately €49 million. A study was commissioned by the Decentralisation Implementation Group (DIG) which provides a model for identifying non-property costs and savings that arise both during the relocation phase and in the context of a post-decentralised civil service. Decentralising organisations have been asked to use this model to make periodic reports identifying non-property costs incurred and savings made both since the programme was announced and in its implementation in the future. At the end of June, the total non-property costs incurred amount to €6.8m.