I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 23, 26, 30, 31, 34, 38, 39, 41, 43, 49, 55, 60, 80, 95 and 97 together.
Immediately after the announcement of the new decentralisation programme, a special sub-committee of the Civil Service general council was set up to facilitate discussions with the Civil Service unions. Regular discussions have been taking place not only with those unions but also with the ICTU group of unions representing staff in the State agencies. I am committed to continuing consultations with the unions throughout the implementation of the programme. I am aware of the different concerns expressed by union representatives concerning the decentralisation programme, and I feel that those can be addressed through the process of consultation and dialogue that has been put in place.
The decentralisation implementation group, known as the Flynn group, submitted a report to the Government at the end of March 2004. The Government accepted the report and it has now been published. It is available on my Department's website at www.finance.gov.ie. The group is continuing its work, and I expect to receive a further report at the end of July.
As recommended by the Flynn group, a central applications facility, or CAF, was launched on 12 May 2004 to receive applications from those wishing to relocate. The CAF allows staff in all participating organisations to apply for transfer to or express an interest in various provincial locations. The exact terms and conditions which will govern movements from one part of the public service to another and across professional streams are the subject of ongoing discussions with the public service unions.
I have stated from the outset that participation in the scheme is voluntary. Staff whose jobs are being decentralised and who opt to remain in Dublin will have to be reassigned in due course. As information becomes available from the CAF, it will be possible to identify vacancies which will arise in organisations remaining in Dublin as a result of individuals from those organisations applying for decentralised posts. The exact procedures which will apply to allow staff to be reassigned in Dublin will have to be discussed between public service management and staff interests.
No central survey of civil and public servants has been carried out to ascertain the numbers seeking transfers to decentralised locations. However, the results of the CAF should provide a reasonable assessment of interest in the programme. The same number of promotional opportunities will continue to exist across the public service, but in the future that will reflect the new geographical spread of staff.
I have no plans to carry out a formal review of this programme under the expenditure review process. I am satisfied that the arrangements which are in place for the implementation of the programme will ensure that it is implemented in a cost-effective way. The Flynn group requested that each organisation produce an implementation plan incorporating all risks which could arise as a result of the transfer of all or part of its operations. Such risks could include, for example, a loss of expertise or a deterioration in services to the public. Each organisation was also required to include risk mitigation strategies for each risk identified in its plan.
I provided €20 million in my Department's Vote to meet any decentralisation capital costs which arise during this year. No funds have yet been released from this subhead. My Department has already sanctioned the acquisition of sites in Longford and Carlow, and I expect finalisation of site acquisitions to accelerate in the coming months with a consequent increase in the rate of expenditure under this heading. To date, the cost of the Flynn group has amounted to €69,000, and the Office of Public Works has spent around €90,000 on costs associated with the identification and evaluation of sites.
The OPW is assessing the proposals received for each of the locations. Most are for the provision of sites, but the potential to purchase existing buildings is still an option in a small number of locations. It is expected that significant progress will be made in the transfer of organisations over the next three years.
The identification of the locations for the information technology staff, as outlined in the Flynn report, will be announced as soon as possible. Following that, the posts involved will be included in the CAF. The Civil Service unions have recently written to my Department seeking an extension to the time allowed for making priority applications to the CAF. I accept that people need a reasonable amount of time to consider their options.
My Budget Statement of 3 December 2003 set out the offices which are scheduled to transfer to County Kildare. Following is a table detailing the agencies in the ambit of my Department and showing those relocating. The criteria used to select organisations for decentralisation are set out in my budget documentation. I have already dealt with the question of a revision to the programme in a priority question.
Agencies in the ambit of Department of Finance
Central Bank: Not relocating
Civil Service Commission: Part relocating
Economic and Social Research Institute: Not relocating
Institute of Public Administration: Not relocating
National Treasury Management Agency: Not relocating
Office of Public Works: Relocating
Office of the Ombudsman: Not relocating
Office of the Revenue Commissioners: Part relocating
Ordnance Survey Ireland: Relocating
State Laboratory: Not relocating
Valuation Office: Relocating