Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 157: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of posts that have been decentralised as part of the current decentralisation programme with respect to his Department and agencies; the cost of mileage and overtime paid with respect to the holders of these posts in the year prior to decentralisation and the year after decentralisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34714/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

To date, 74 officers from my Department have transferred to an interim location in Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo and 10 officers to Na Forbacha, Galway. While decentralisation is an on-going process the major part of this relocation took place in July and August 2006.

Because of the turnover of staff and some re-organisation of Divisions as part of the decentralisation process, it is not possible to provide the comparative figures requested. However, I can provide overtime and mileage figures for the Department as a whole for the years 2005 — before decentralisation was implemented, 2006 — when the main decentralisation process took place and to date in 2007 — post-decentralisation. The figures are as follows:

Overtime expenditure

2005: €144,294

2006: €104,537

2007 to date: € 98,158

Mileage expenditure

2005: €294,304

2006: €345,577

2007 to date: €300,487

The decentralisation of 30 posts by Foras na Gaeilge to Gaoth Dobhair is still at the planning stage and no staff have decentralised as yet. The Pobal office in Clifden was opened early in 2006 and 22 posts were based there by the end of that year. The majority of these posts were new to the organisation and all except 1 post was filled by way of local recruitment. Comparative figures are, therefore, not available. The total expenditure on travel for Clifden in 2006 was €38,366. No overtime costs were incurred.