Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 172: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance when he will establish a clear system whereby persons who are opting to remain in Dublin rather than decentralise with their posts will have a detailed range of vacancies on offer for which they can apply, as has been the stated intention of the body advising Government on the implementation of the decentralisation programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22962/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

From the outset both the Government and I have made it clear that participation in the decentralisation programme is voluntary. Across the public service, recruitment and promotion practices generally are being managed in a way which facilitates the achievement of the Decentralisation Programme in an efficient manner. In that context agreement has been reached with the Civil Service unions representing general service staff that an assignment will not be made to a decentralising post until alternative arrangements have been identified for an existing post holder who does not wish to decentralise with it.

The primary mechanism for placing Civil Servants who are in posts which are due to decentralise but wish to remain in Dublin is by way of bilateral transfer. As staff who have applied to decentralise continue to be transferred into decentralising organisations, the posts they vacate become available to those wishing to remain in Dublin. Further arrangements have been initiated for general service grades. The objective of these arrangements is to provide to the Public Appointments Service details of staff who wish to remain in Dublin at each grade level so that a proportion of vacancies arising in Dublin based posts may be filled by those staff. The arrangements seek to balance the need to facilitate the effective achievement of the decentralisation programme with the business needs of departments and the aspirations of staff to be placed in appropriate posts in Dublin. To achieve this, they allow for prioritisation at certain times of staff in organisations who have an immediate need to be placed in Dublin posts due to the timing of the relocation of their current department or office.

It is intended that the arrangements will continue over the full transition phase of the Programme and my department is monitoring them in co-operation with Departments and the relevant unions to ensure that they are operating efficiently. Discussions are ongoing with the unions representing professional and technical staff in relation to individual organisations.

The position in relation to the State Agencies is of course more complex. The Labour Court recommendation in relation to the dispute between FÁS and SIPTU provides a renewed opportunity for both unions and management to address the relevant issues. As part of their recommendation, the Court states that it believes that the stated policy of effecting decentralisation on a voluntary basis could best be achieved if individuals who are unwilling to relocate are provided with realistic alternative career options, which take account of the proprietary rights and legitimate expectations which they have accrued in their current employments. The Court goes on to say that it believes that the appropriate authorities should address the issues arising in the broader context of decentralisation of non-commercial State Bodies overall. This aspect of the Labour Court finding is very much in line with the previously expressed view of the Decentralisation Implementation Group.

In relation to the state bodies generally, it is now a matter, in the first instance, for each body together with its parent Department, to manage their approach to implementation taking account of the implications of the Labour Court recommendation. My Department has written to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to establish how progress can be made on this aspect of the Labour Court recommendation.