Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 717: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism 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. [2599/08]

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 719: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism 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 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 its inception; the number of planning applications in progress on 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. [3000/08]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 717 and 719 together.

Following the announcement of the Government's decentralisation programme in the 2004 budget, my Department, which has a staff of 131, excluding the National Archives which is part of my Department, was designated an "early mover" by the Decentralisation Implementation Group. (DIG). Initially, 15 staff from my Department applied for decentralisation to the designated location in Killarney, Co Kerry. Some of these have since opted to remain in Dublin. Subsequently, the Central Application Facility (CAF) received a further 152 applications from existing Civil Servants and 9 applications from Public Servants from both the Dublin area and from provincial locations.

To date, 70 staff have relocated to temporary accommodation in Fossa, Killarney, in two tranches, 45 staff in September 2006 and 25 staff in July 2007. The objective is to complete the decentralisation process by the end of 2008 by which time the Department will be operating from the Department's new purpose built offices in Killarney.

To effect the final phase of the decentralisation of my Department over the next twelve months it will be necessary to transfer 61 additional staff from both Dublin and provincial locations. Of these, 16 staff who intend to transfer to Killarney later this year are currently in place in my Department in Dublin.

To expedite the decentralisation process, temporary premises were secured by the OPW (Office of Public Works) in Fossa in 2006 from which the decentralised sections of my Department currently operate. I understand from the OPW that the new permanent building is on schedule for completion, with the planning process completed, and they expect it to be furnished, equipped and ready for occupation, on target, by the end of the year. No further planning applications are necessary in this case.

Excluding the cost of accommodation, the total cost of decentralisation incurred by my Department to date is €552,000, which includes the cost of office machinery, office and premises overheads, postal and telecommunications services and travel and subsistence. The bulk of the expenditure relates to office machinery and office and premises expenses, which represents over 70% of the total cost. The OPW are responsible for costs relating to both the temporary and permanent accommodation and therefore these do not fall within my Department's Vote.

The implementation of the Decentralisation process has been effected to date within the existing staffing resources of my Department.

No public servants in any of the agencies under the aegis of my Department designated for decentralisation have relocated to date. A total of 200 posts in Fáilte Ireland were designated for relocation to Mallow, 45 posts in the Arts Council to Kilkenny and 25 posts in the Irish Sports Council to Killarney. The agencies were not designated as "early movers" by the DIG. However the OPW are assessing various property options in respect of the three agencies. No planning applications have been made to date.

Expenditure by the agencies in respect of decentralisation is a matter for the agencies themselves I understand that no expenditure has been incurred to date.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 718: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism 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. [2986/08]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The number of civil servants who have relocated to my Department's temporary premises in Fossa, Killarney, under the Government's decentralisation programme is 70. Of this number, 24 have relocated from Dublin and the remainder from provincial locations.

On completion of my Department's permanent headquarters in Killarney by the end of 2008 a further 61 posts are scheduled to relocate, in respect of which, 19 applications have been received from Dublin based staff.

No public servants have decentralised either to my Department in Killarney or to any of the three designated locations, Killarney, Kilkenny or Mallow to which the Irish Sports Council, the Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland, agencies under the aegis of my Department, are scheduled to transfer.