Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 585: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. [46994/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's original Decentralisation Implementation Plan allowed for a phased move to Portlaoise and the 2005, 2006 and 2007 advance phases were completed on schedule. To date, the Department has met its targets set out in its original plan and in total, since the programme was announced, there has been an increase of 297 full-time posts in Portlaoise and 84 in Clonakilty. The Department's move to Clonakilty is now substantially complete. Of the 297 posts moved to Portlaoise and 84 to Clonakilty, all were civil servants; 220 and 33 respectively were from Dublin.

The OPW announced late last year that a consortium, the Macquarie Partnership, has won the tender for the project to build the permanent offices in Portlaoise, Mullingar and Carlow (a design, finance, build and maintain contract). Planning permission has been granted and following the budget announcement that the project will proceed, we are expecting an update on timeframes shortly. To reflect the changes to the timetable and the progress so far, as well as the evolving operating environment, a revision to the Department's Decentralisation Implementation Plan is now being considered. As part of this an additional advance phase has been agreed that will involve some 150 posts in the period until completion of the permanent accommodation. The exact breakdown of these posts in terms of those who are relocating from Dublin and relocating from elsewhere is expected to be similar to the proportions evidenced to date.