Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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66. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the sections of staff that have been assigned or transferred between Departments as a consequence of changes to ministerial or departmental structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19811/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Arising from the Taoiseach's decision to restructure Departments of State to better align them with the priority objectives of the new Government, a number of functions that are currently vested in the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government transferred to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. This will facilitate the establishment of the new Department of Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht.

While responsibility for the Community Affairs brief continues to be vested in the new Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, responsibility for programmes relating to the rural affairs function will now transfer to the Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht.

The programmes and work items transferred include the LEADER Programme, the CLÁR Programme, Rural Recreation, the National Countryside Recreation Strategy, the Walks Scheme, the Rural Development Fund, Social Enterprise, Tidy Towns, Rural Economic Development Zones, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Western Development Commission, Dormant Accounts and functions relating to Social Enterprise.

Regarding the numbers that have transferred, 40 staff have transferred in from the Community Division of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.

Further business areas relating to the Environment and Climate Actions will transfer to the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when the Transfer of Functions Order is complete.

Two members of staff have also already transferred to the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht from the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, one from the Post Office Network section, and one from the Rural Broadband section.