Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1101: To ask the Minister for Education and Science 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. [2990/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The records maintained by my Department are confined to the transfers of civil servants in and out of my Department. These records show that to date 49 civil servants who were previously assigned to Dublin posts have relocated to posts outside of Dublin under the programme of decentralisation. A further 3 people who were employed in Dublin in a State body under the aegis of my Department have relocated to posts outside of Dublin. These records also show that 78 civil servants who were previously assigned to offices in my Department in locations outside of Dublin have relocated to other locations under the programme of decentralisation.

Estimating the numbers to relocate this year is difficult as the programme is voluntary and actual relocation depends on decisions made by individuals close to the time of any proposed relocation as well as the rate of progress a large number of external organisations towards their decentralisations. I can tell the Deputy that my Department expects to relocate approximately 50 to 60 Dublin based civil servants, along with approximately 15 to 20 civil servants who are based outside of Dublin during the course of the relocation of posts from Dublin to the midlands from Dublin this year.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1102: To ask the Minister for Education and Science 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [3004/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Details of the records held by my Department on the numbers of civil servants who have relocated under the programme of decentralisation are provided on the table attached.

At present my Department has two main locations outside of Dublin in Athlone and Tullamore. In addition to this it has smaller regional offices outside of Dublin in Navan, Naas, Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Sligo, Galway and Mullingar along with a number of offices throughout the State accommodating Inspectors and psychologists working locally.

The agencies in the Education sector scheduled to decentralise are the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the National Education Welfare Boards, the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, the Higher Education Training and Awards Council, the Further Education Training and Awards Council and the Higher Education Authority. The rate of progress towards decentralisation by these agencies varies, ranging from recruitment policies that support the programme to plans for an advance movement of posts this year.

All aspects of property procurement and disposal in connection with the programme of decentralisation is a matter for the Office of Public Works. No non-capital costs have been incurred by my Department to date under the programme of decentralisation. The agencies in the Education sector have reported just in excess of €13,000 in non-capital expenditure to date.

No member of the staff of my Department is assigned to manage the implementation of the programme of decentralisation on an exclusive basis. The tasks involved are undertaken by staff members assigned to the Human Resources and Corporate Services areas as part of their work.