Decentralisation Programme.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 March 2007

Tuesday, 20 March 2007

Ceisteanna (545)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

615 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of civil servants in his Department who have transferred to offices outside Dublin under the decentralisation programme to date; the percentage of these who had a previous transfer within a two year period of the decentralisation transfer; the number of these people who transferred from a non-Dublin office to a Dublin office in the initial transfer; the average time spent in the Dublin office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10534/07]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mr. Brennan)

To date, 122 officers have transferred to offices of the Department outside of Dublin under the Government's decentralisation programme. This includes 14 officers who have transferred to temporary accommodation while the permanent accommodation is being finalised. Fourteen of the 122 officers transferred from a non-Dublin office to a Dublin office initially for training purposes. The average time spent training in Dublin is four weeks.

Some 2.5% of officers had previously transferred to a different location within the past two years. All of the officers concerned had accepted the initial transfer on promotion to a higher grade. In addition, 118 staff have transferred to other Departments for the purposes of their decentralisation programmes.