Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 885: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of civil and other public servants based in Dublin in her Department and agencies who have applied for decentralisation and who have been transferred to their decentralised posts 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 or purchased or planning permissions sought for the construction of premises for decentralisation; the costs incurred to date; the original budgeted and expected total costs to be incurred for decentralisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2598/08]

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 887: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of civil servants and other public servants who had decentralised as of 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 agency plans; the current number of 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 administering the decentralisation process since its 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 expected total costs to be incurred for decentralisation; her further proposals in this regard; the expected date for completion of the full decentralisation process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2999/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 885 and 887 together.

To the end of December 2007, 253 civil servants had decentralised to my Department's offices in Portlaoise. To the end of December 2006, the number was 187. To the end of December 2007, 80 civil servants had decentralised to my Department's offices in Clonakilty. The move to Clonakilty is now substantially complete. The Government's decision on the decentralisation of this Department, including the numbers of posts and scheduled completion dates, is as follows.

The Government decisions on the agencies under the aegis of this Department are as follows.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) deals in the first instance with matters relating to the procurement of property and the associated costs. The OPW announced in December that a consortium, the Macquarie Partnership, has won the tender for the project to build the permanent offices in Portlaoise, Mullingar and Carlow (a public private partnership to design, finance, build and maintain). The identification of sites for both Fermoy and Macroom is progressing, with announcements expected. Construction of the permanent office accommodation in Clonakilty for both the Fisheries function of my Department and BIM is underway. OPW has identified a site in Enniscorthy for Bord Bia and the tender process for construction of a building is underway. In the interim period, temporary accommodation has been acquired in both Portlaoise and Clonakilty.

Regarding the costs of decentralisation, the Department sends a quarterly return to the Decentralisation Implementation Group, which details the non-property costs such as travel and overtime. To the end of the last quarter, these costs amounted to €53,922.

Regarding the number of staff involved in administering the process, the programme requires staff resources from a range of corporate functions. Within Personnel, a dedicated Decentralisation Unit comprising four staff was established. However, this Unit also has other responsibilities not directly connected with decentralisation.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 886: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [2985/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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To the end of December, 253 civil servants had transferred to my Department's offices in Portlaoise under the decentralisation programme. 70 of these were assigned to Portlaoise from outside Dublin. The move of the Department's Fisheries function to Clonakilty is now substantially complete. Of the 80 posts moved, 53 were assigned from outside of Dublin.

A revision to the Department's Decentralisation Implementation Plan, including detailed arrangements for 2008, is currently being considered.