Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 534: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 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 2009; the breakdown of each set of figures in terms of those who are relocating from Dublin and relocating from elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47001/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Government announcement on 14 October 2008 confirmed that the decentralisation of my Department's Headquarters to Wexford (270 posts) will proceed as planned. However the transfer of posts to the three other locations in the South East — Waterford (225 posts), New Ross (125 posts) and Kilkenny (62 posts) — is being deferred pending the outcome of a review in 2011 in light of budgetary developments.

The transfer of the National Building Agency and the Local Government Computer Services Board, to Wexford and Drogheda respectively, are also deferred pending the review. My Department's Headquarter offices in Wexford are under construction and expected to be completed and ready for occupation in Q1 2009. My Department will then transfer 270 posts into these offices in 2009.

An advance office was established in Wexford on 25 June 2007 and is currently staffed by 43 people. Of these, one staff member transferred from an original location outside of Dublin and one staff member was recruited locally. The remainder of the staff transferred from an original Dublin based location.

The advance office staff will transfer to the permanent office first, followed by the remaining staff to complete the filling of 270 posts. Of these staff, a further 59 will be transferring from an original location outside of Dublin, with the rest transferring from an original Dublin based location.