Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 146: To ask the Minister for Finance his long-term plans for the Ordnance Survey office building in the Phoenix Park if the office is moved to Dungarvan, County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29590/09]

Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In 2008, the Government announced that the decentralisation of Ordnance Survey Ireland to Dungarvan was to be deferred pending a review in 2011. The future of the Ordnance Survey's existing Headquarters will be considered as part of this review.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 147: To ask the Minister for Finance the status of an application for employment transfer made by a person (details supplied) under the decentralisation programme. [29620/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

You will be aware that I identified in the Budget last October the priority elements agreed by Government under the decentralisation programme which could proceed at this time. The Government's preference would have been not to delay any aspect of the Programme but, in light of the deterioration in the public finances, it has been necessary to defer other projects pending an overall review of the programme in 2011.

I understand from enquiries made by my Department that the person concerned has changed his preferences on the Central Applications Facility (CAF) on a number of occasions and that a move to the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in Drogheda is his first preference at present. That Department's investigative functions have transferred to the Department of Transport in the interim but this would not impact adversely on the person's application status. Regrettably the move of the marine investigation functions to Drogheda has been deferred pending the overall review in 2011. The move of the headquarters of the Department of Social and Family Affairs remains within the priority elements of the programme. While property acquisition is at an advanced planning phase in respect of the move by that Department, it is likely that it will be several years before the construction phase is completed and the physical moves take place.

More broadly, the Government's moratorium on recruitment across the public service is likely to result in a substantial slow down of assignments to vacancies arising across the system as a whole, including vacancies arising in Drogheda. In the last few months however, the Department of Social and Family Affairs has filled vacancies arising in a number of posts across the country and is likely to continue to do so, to some extent, for the present. Details of the person concerned have been forwarded to that Department, with a request that they contact him in the event that suitable vacancies arise in the Louth/Meath area. However, it is likely that any such vacancies would be filled in accordance with priority rules agreed in relation to the CAF and an offer would be dependent on the number of higher priority applicants also interested in any post.