Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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264. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in the context of the transfer of staff from the offices of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government offices in Tubbercurry, County Sligo, to the Department offices in Ballina, County Mayo, if he will ask all Departments in counties Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon to facilitate the practice of head to heads within their respective Departments to facilitate those in all Departments with offices in the region who may wish to move to some of the locations involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40337/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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In general, individual Departments with regionalised structures have agreed arrangements in place for the transfer of staff. Staff in the grades represented by the Civil & Public Services Union (CPSU) are covered by the Central Transfer Scheme. Transfers for CPSU grades (mostly Clerical and Staff Officers) are arranged in accordance with formal procedures agreed with the Staff Side at General Council under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for the Civil Service.

From time to time, transfers between other grades in the Civil Service are arranged on an informal, head-to-head, basis. While Departments facilitate such moves were appropriate, the transfers are arranged between the officers seeking to move and the relevant Personnel Units and require the agreement of both Personnel Officers.

The Deputy will be aware that following a review of the Decentralisation Programme conducted by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in 2012, the Government decided to consolidate the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government's business operations in the West at its offices in Ballina, Co Mayo.

I understand from my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government that this process is well advanced with the majority of Tubbercurry staff already relocated to Ballina. The remaining staff are due to relocate in early November. I understand that the approach described above is working well and that a number of staff from the Tubbercurry office have already been facilitated with reassignments to other Government offices in Co Sligo and surrounding areas, and this will continue as necessary and where possible. 

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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265. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide in tabular form, the number of civil servants from his Department who have designated a County Mayo venue as their preference for a transfer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40338/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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In response to the Deputy's question I can confirm that there are currently no civil servants in my Department, or in any organisation or body under the aegis of my Department who have designated a County Mayo venue as their preference for a transfer.