Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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123. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide in tabular form the total number of staff under the remit of her Department that have applied to be transferred to Department or State agency offices located outside the Dublin region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35298/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Human Resources Division of my Department manage a very substantial number of requests for staff transfers both across my Department and other Civil Service Departments and Offices each year. There are a range of different reasons for such a transfer request, one of which is based on geographic location. In such instances staff can submit a formal request to Human Resources Division for a transfer to a specific location. This request is then forwarded to all Civil Service Departments with offices in that location. It is then the responsibility of that Department to administer their transfer list and consider candidates as and when suitable vacancies arise.

Due to the large variation in the range and circumstances of staff transfers each year, it is not possible to readily isolate the numbers and breakdown sought by the Deputy in respect of transfers requests to Department or State agency offices located outside the Dublin region and attempting to retrieve this information would involve a disproportionate dedication of staff resources.

I wish to advise the Deputy that where possible my Department will facilitate such transfer requests however the priority will always be to maintain a balanced and appropriate level of staff resources in priority areas and to match people with the most relevant skills to the requirements of posts.