Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 255: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of applications from staff for transfer, relocation or exchange received in his Department and or other bodies or agencies under his aegis funded by his Department in each of the past three years to date in 2010; the number of approvals; the number of rejections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30773/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is in the nature of the work of my Department that staff members transfer between Divisions at HQ, and indeed to Missions abroad, on a regular basis.

In addition to this routine rotation, some staff may apply, for personal reasons, for transfers to other Government Departments or public bodies. The table below sets out the number of applications received, since 1 January 2007, from officers of my Department for such transfers, along with the number of those applications that were approved, refused or that are pending.

Applications for transfer may be refused where an officer's performance and/or sick leave do not meet required standards.

The Deputy may also wish to be aware that under the Government's decentralisation programme announced in 2003, the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs decentralised to Limerick. This Division operates externally under the name of Irish Aid. The Headquarters of Irish Aid is situated in my Department's Limerick building. Of the 108 staff assigned to Irish Aid at the time decentralisation was announced, 19 officials were transferred to other areas of my Department as they did not wish to decentralise.