Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 954: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of staff who have been moved to date to decentralised locations; the number who moved with their post; the number who have moved from other public service posts in Dublin; the number who have moved from other public service posts outside Dublin; and the number of new recruits. [28826/08]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 955: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of Civil Service staff to be decentralised in respect of staff employed in specialised technical posts and in respect of administration posts at executive officer or higher; the number who have moved to date; the number who have opted to move with their posts; and the position in this regard in each business unit being moved. [28832/08]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 957: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the effect decentralisation is having on staffing levels within his Department; the effect it is having on the roll-out of programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28854/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 954, 955 and 957 together.

The Government's decentralisation programme provides for the relocation of my Department in its entirety to Cavan by the end of 2010. This involves the relocation of 159 administrative posts at Executive Officer or above, 72 administrative posts at Staff Officer or below and 72 professional and technical posts. To date some 53 staff members from the Corporate Services area of my Department have relocated to Cavan. Of these, 30 transferred from Dublin based civil service posts, 5 transferred from non-Dublin based civil service posts and 1 was recruited locally in Cavan. The remaining staff worked in my Department prior to their relocation to Cavan. Plans are in place to transfer the Natural Resources area of my Department to Cavan by the end of 2009. The process of populating this area with Cavan bound staff is underway.

My Department has plans and strategies in place to ensure that the risks associated with decentralisation are managed. These include adequate overlap periods for staff training purposes and a knowledge management system, which aims to minimise the loss of corporate knowledge associated with high levels of staff turnover. Based on our experience of decentralisation to date, I am satisfied that the staff transfers to Cavan have been undertaken without any adverse effect on my Department's business and programme delivery.