Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 199: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of applications from staff for transfer, relocation or exchange received in her Department and or other bodies or agencies under her aegis funded by her Department in each of the past three years to date in 2010; the number of approvals; the number of rejections; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30774/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The information requested by the Deputy regarding the number of applications received for transfer, relocation or exchange etc. is not currently collated in the format requested. The Department of Health and Children is not a decentralising Department under the Government's current Decentralisation Programme. The Public Appointments Service maintains details of all officers who have applied through the Central Applications Facility to move to Departments decentralising under the Programme. Successful applications from staff in this Department for transfer through decentralisation are facilitated subject to the normal arrangements for decentralisation regarding bilateral transfers. Applications from staff for voluntary transfer, voluntary redeployment etc. are also facilitated where possible subject to the overall business needs of the Department being met.

The following table provides details of staff from my Department who have transferred to other Government Departments/Offices in the time frame stated. The figures below represent the number of staff who have permanently relocated at their existing grade or equivalent to other Departments/Offices as a result of decentralisation, voluntary transfer, voluntary redeployment, transfer of functions or relocation of staff returning from career break. The table does not include staff who may have relocated on a temporary basis while remaining employees of this Department through secondment arrangements, Administrative Officer exchange schemes etc. or staff who transferred as a result of promotion.

In relation to the Health Service Executive, as this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy. The agencies funded by my Department will also provide the required information directly to the Deputy.