Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 573: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of civil and other public servants based in Dublin in his Department and agencies who have applied for decentralisation, who have been transferred to their decentralised post and are currently in position in the decentralised location outside Dublin; the number of civil and other public servants required for decentralisation under plans; the original and expected date for full decentralisation to be in place; the locations together with details of properties and land owned, purchased or planning permissions sought for the construction of premises for decentralisation; the costs incurred to date; the original budgeted for and expected total costs to be incurred for decentralisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2610/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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36 civil servants based in Dublin in my Department have expressed interest in decentralisation. 3 public servants based in agencies in Dublin have also expressed interest in decentralizing with those agencies.

In addition, 44 staff from my Department have transferred to posts which were due to move out of Dublin under the Government's decentralisation programme. Of these 44 staff, 6 have relocated to their decentralised location in Loughrea as either Department of Transport or Road Safety Authority staff. The transfer of the remaining 38 staff to their decentralised location is a matter for the new parent Departments.

410 public service posts have been earmarked to decentralise in respect of four agencies -National Roads Authority and Railway Safety Authority to Ballinasloe, Irish Aviation Authority to Shannon, and Bus Eireann to Mitchelstown. These agencies were not identified by the Decentralisation Implementation Group as early movers, but relocation in each case is being pursued.

My recent decision to move the Maritime Safety Directorate, the Irish Coast Guard (Technical and Administrative), and the Marine Survey Office (Technical and Administrative) to Drogheda is likely to lead to an increase in the number of posts to be transferred over and above the original 37.

The immediate priority is to finalise a suitable location and construction of a premises in Drogheda. This work is being undertaken by the Office of Public Works. I expect that there will be no delay in completing the decentralisation process once a premises has become available.

The total non-capital expenditure by my Department on the programme to date is €31,343. The original budgeted and the expected total costs to be incurred for decentralisation are matters for the Department of Finance.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 574: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of civil servants and other public servants, who have relocated to locations outside of Dublin under the Government's decentralisation programme; the estimated number of each category who will have relocated by the end of 2008; the breakdown of each set of figures in terms of those who are relocating from Dublin and relocating from elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2998/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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44 civil servants from my Department have transferred to posts which were due to move out of Dublin under the Government's decentralisation programme. Of these 44 staff, 6 have relocated to their decentralised location in Loughrea as either Department of Transport or Road Safety Authority staff. Of the 6 staff who transferred to Loughrea, 4 went as Road Safety Authority staff, thus becoming public servants. The transfer of the remaining 38 staff to their decentralised location is a matter for the new parent Departments.

No further civil or other public servants will have relocated by the end of 2008. All 44 staff relocated from Dublin.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 575: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of civil servants and other public servants who have decentralised as at 31 December 2006 and the current date broken down into individual Government Departments and agencies; the number required for full decentralisation, broken down under individual Departmental and agencies plans; the number of currently decentralised locations in operation; the agencies with no progress; the values of properties purchased and sold in respect of the decentralisation process to date; the other costs incurred to date with the decentralisation process, broken down by category; the number of Departmental staff involved in administrating the decentralisation process since it's inception; the number of planning applications in progress in relation to building decentralised premises and planning applications to be submitted, broken down by location and planning submission date; the original budgeted and the expected total costs to be incurred for decentralisation; his further proposals in this regard; the expected date for completion of the full decentralisation process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3012/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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No civil or other public servants decentralised from my Department up to 31 December 2006. 44 civil servants from my Department transferred in 2007 to posts which were due to move out of Dublin under the Government's decentralisation programme.

410 public servant posts are also earmarked to decentralise in respect of the following four agencies — National Roads Authority (90) and Railway Safety Commission (20) to Ballinasloe, Irish Aviation Authority (100) to Shannon, and Bus Eireann (200) to Mitchelstown.

My recent decision to move the Maritime Safety Directorate and the Irish Coast Guard to Drogheda is likely to lead to an increase in the number of posts to be transferred there over and above the original 37 planned.

Loughrea is the only decentralised location currently in operation. The above mentioned agencies were not identified by the Decentralisation Implementation Group as early movers, and consequently, progress on their relocation is less advanced.

The values of properties purchased and sold in respect of the decentralisation process to date is a matter for the Office of Public Works.

The total non-capital expenditure incurred by my Department to date is €31,343 for travel and subsistence costs in respect of the move to Loughrea.

It is not possible to state the exact number of Departmental staff involved in the administration of the decentralisation process at any one time. In respect of the move of staff to Loughrea, for example, there would have been at least 10 staff involved at different levels at any particular stage.

Issues of planning applications, both in progress and to be submitted, in relation to building decentralised premises, are matters for the Office of Public Works.

The original budgeted and the expected total costs to be incurred for decentralisation are matters for the Department of Finance. The move to Drogheda is expected to be completed within a two and a half year time-frame while completion dates in respect of the agencies remain to be clarified.