(Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the concern of the staff of An Foras Forbartha regarding the proposed transfer of the staff to Cork, as announced by the former Taoiseach, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Foras Forbatha Staff Transfer.
14.
I have received representations in this matter from various bodies related to the interests of the staff of An Foras Forbartha. It is my intention that the staff will be fully consulted by the board of An Foras and in this connection I have set the appropriate procedures in motion.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Is it the Minister's intention to go further with the proposal to transfer some of the staff to Cork? If it is, might I have an assurance that no staff will be transferred without their consent?
The Minister has answered that question.
(Cavan-Monaghan): He has not answered it. May I take it——
This is repetition.
(Cavan-Monaghan): It is not.
If I heard the answer right, the Minister has said that the staff would be consulted before they would be transferred.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Yes, he said that.
Why does the Deputy now ask if the staff are to be consulted?
(Cavan-Monaghan): I am asking the Minister——
The Chair does not mind if there are only three questions answered, but there are Deputies who want replies to their questions.
(Cavan-Monaghan): I fully agree, but the question I asked the Minister and we are wasting time over it now, is if I can have an assurance from the Minister that no staff will be transferred to Cork unless they give their consent.
The position is that at present the staff are housed in rented buildings which are very unsuitable to present day needs. The staff will be fully consulted and their views obtained before any change is made in regard to transfer to Cork.
(Cavan-Monaghan): I appreciate that the Minister said that in his written reply. However, my question is to ask the Minister to give an assurance that no staff will be transferred against their will, compulsorily. That is a simple question.
I have said that they will be consulted and I take it from consultations taking place that the staff will not be transferred against their wishes.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Is the Minister saying that——
I am saying that we do not want an unhappy staff, so everything will be done to facilitate them.
(Cavan-Monaghan): I do not want to drag out the question but the Minister is obviously hedging. I ask for a simple yes or no. Is it a fact that no staff will be transferred against their will? Yes or no is a simple thing to say.
I am not hedging on that question but it is impossible to clear things down to the last person, that they may not be transferred against their will. What I am saying is that every safeguard will be taken to ensure that we shall have a happy and contented staff. We do not want them otherwise. Full consultation will take place with them through their representatives. I give the Deputy my assurance that they——
(Cavan-Monaghan): Is the Minister trying to steer a careful course between the assurance given by the former Taoiseach and Deputy Wyse and what the present Taoiseach is saying? Is that what the Minister is doing?
Would the Minister say why it is necessary to transfer at all? This is a relatively small staff. Surely it is only a token, having a small staff moved? Talking about decentralisation with a small staff like that——
(Interruptions.)
Do you know the number of the staff in there?
Order. Question No. 15.
Of course I know. The Deputy need not talk about it because he left things in a mess.
(Interruptions.)
Even the Minister's staff did not know him.
They knew enough about the Deputy anyway.
Order.