Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 183: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the number of posts that have been decentralised to date, and of those, the number that have been decentralised from Dublin, and their grades; the number that have opted to remain in Dublin, and their grades; the number of those that have moved to another Department or agency in Dublin; and the number that have been decentralised from outside Dublin to other locations, and their grades. [40707/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Under the Government's decentralisation programme announced in 2003, 125 posts attached to the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs were to decentralise to Limerick. The Division is the Headquarters of Irish Aid.

Following sanction of an additional 20 posts by the Department of Finance in 2005, the total number of posts attached to Irish Aid Headquarters increased to 145. Of these, 138 are decentralising and 112 have now moved into the new permanent Headquarters building in Limerick. The remaining posts are expected to be filled before the end of the year.

Of the 108 staff assigned to Irish Aid at the time decentralisation was announced, 18.5%, or 20 officials, were transferred to other areas of the Department or to other Departments as a direct result of decentralisation. It is in the nature of the work of the Department that staff transfer between Divisions at HQ, and indeed to Embassies abroad, on a regular basis. This routine rotation accounts for the balance of the staff transfers from Irish Aid.

The following table gives details of staff moves.