Gerry O'Sullivan
Question:11 Mr. G. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Energy if he has any plans to encourage the semi-State agencies under his control to decentralise their head office; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Decentralisation of Semi-State Agencies.
In accordance with the Government decision last April on decentralisation, I have directed my Department to identify areas under its aegis, including the wider public service, for transferring to locations outside of Dublin. My Department is accordingly consulting its State bodies with a view to ascertaining what further contribution they can make to the implementation of Government policy on decentralisation. I am awaiting the results of these consultations.
I would like to bring to the Deputy's attention the extent to which the staffs of the State bodies under the aegis of my Department are already decentralised. This includes the head office of Bord Gáis Éireann which is located in Cork and over the next couple of months most of the remaining head office staff of Bord na Móna will be transferred out of Dublin to the midlands. The rest of the Bord na Móna workforce is, of course, located outside of Dublin. In addition the Electricity Supply Board is extensively decentralised with a presence in 120 locations nationwide. Most of the staffs of Coillte Teoranta and the Irish National Petroleum Corporation are also located outside of Dublin.
I welcome the Minister's statement and compliment him, because his Department are locating outside Dublin fairly rapidly. In the light of the most recent consultations with his staff on further decentralisation, does the Minister have a timescale for when this process will be completed?
Following the Government decision to which I referred in my reply, the Minister for Finance wrote to me requesting receipt of my Department's proposals by the end of September.He will then report to the Government on these further decentralisation proposals by the end of October. I want to assure the Deputy that the Minister for Finance will have whatever proposals I am able to make in good time before the end of September.