Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 25: To ask the Minister for Finance when it is proposed that staff mobility across the various segments of the public service will commence; and the statutory provisions that will be required to implement it. [45186/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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On 26 November 2008 the Government published the Report of the Task Force on the Public Service, Transforming Public Services, along with a major policy statement which sets out how the recommendations of the Task Force will be implemented.

The Government statement recognises the need to be able to redeploy people in one part of the Public Service from activities which are no longer priorities, towards new challenges which are often in other areas. This means breaking down the barriers to mobility (organisational, sectoral, professional and geographical) between the different parts of Public Service. It also means having appropriate exit options where people cannot be redeployed.

Work will begin immediately to identify and remove barriers to a unified Public Service labour market. This process will include the preparation of any necessary legislation. It will also require urgent negotiations with the Public Service unions. The Government is committed to bringing forward new arrangements on redeployment and exit options within 12 months.