Written answers

Tuesday, 30 September 2008

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Decentralisation Programme

11:00 pm

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 449: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will list in regard to her Department and State agencies or bodies operating under the aegis of her Department, the original proposal announced in December 2003 in regard to decentralisation; the position in regard to each such proposed decentralisation; the number which have been completed; the number of persons who have been relocated; the number and proportion who have been relocated from Dublin or from other locations; the number of projects that have to be completed; the target date for completion in each case; the number of proposed projects that will not proceed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32020/08]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Government's current decentralisation programme for the civil and public service, some 1,200 posts comprising the Department's headquarter sections and the Social Welfare Appeals Office are relocating to 6 locations — Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon, Donegal Town, Buncrana, Carrickmacross and Drogheda. In addition, the Combat Poverty Agency (CPA) and Citizens Information Board (CIB) are scheduled to relocate to Monaghan and Drogheda, respectively, under the programme.

To date, 211 posts have relocated from the Department's Dublin Offices to Carrick-on-Shannon and Sligo under the current programme as detailed in the table below. While no posts have relocated to the other locations, a number of employees have transferred in preparation for decentralisation. The details are also outlined in the table below. In addition, the Department has decentralised offices in Longford, Sligo, Letterkenny, Waterford, Dundalk and Roscommon and some 219 employees have transferred to these offices and other offices of the Department to fill vacancies created by the current decentralisation programme. Furthermore, a total of 257 employees of the Department have transferred to other Government Departments for the purposes of their decentralisation programmes.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) is charged with securing accommodation for this Department. That Office has advised that the building in Buncrana is under construction and the expected completion date of the project is late 2009. In addition, they have purchased sites in Drogheda to accommodate the Department's Headquarters Staff, the Social Welfare Appeals Office and the Citizens Information Board. As you are aware, the Government decided on 8th July last that further expenditure on the acquisition of accommodation for decentralisation would be paused pending the detailed consideration by Government of reports from the Decentralisation Implementation Group and the Implementation Group of Secretaries General. I expect that such consideration by the Government will take place in the near future. The following table outlines the other data requested:

LocationNo. of posts announced to decentraliseNo. transferred to new locationDublin based employees transferredProvincially based employees transferredNo. who have accepted offers
Buncrana120065
Carrickmacross85038
Carrick-on-Shannon22513917122140
Donegal230052
Drogheda — HQ2150154
Drogheda — ISD225034
Sligo10072502272
LocationNo. of posts announced to decentraliseNo. transferred to new locationNo. who have relocation clauses in contracts
Drogheda — CIB47019
Monaghan — CPA2506

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