Brendan Howlin
Question:34 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he has recently considered decentralising the disability benefit payment and authorisation section of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Departmental Decentralisation.
Under the Government's decentralisation programme a number of sections of my department have been transferred out of Dublin. Three hundred and fifty staff are located in the pensions services office in Sligo and 80 are located at the child and treatment benefits office in Letterkenny. A further 90 staff will be located in Letterkenny from early March.
The Government announced early in 1990 their decision to expand the decentralisation programme to include five further towns and cities, namely, Cork city, Longford, Tullamore, Kilkenny and Wexford.
The time-scale envisaged for completion of this extended programme, together with details concerning the departments, the offices, and the numbers of staff to be transferred to each of the locations are, at present, under consideration.