Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Nov 1994

Vol. 447 No. 1

Ceisteanna—Questions. Written Answers. - Civil Service Decentralisation.

Richard Bruton

Question:

98 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff and Departments relocated out of Dublin since the programme of decentralisation began in the Civil Service and in the wider public service; the numbers of staff and Departments where proposals for further relocation from Dublin have been agreed by Government; and if the Government will discontinue decentralisation at the end of this programme. [3265/94]

Minister for Finance (Mr. B. Ahern)

The Departments from which sections have been relocated out of Dublin, the locations to which they have gone, and the numbers of civil servants involved in each case are given in the following table, as are the comparable details for ongoing and proposed decentralisations. Future suggestions for decentralisation will be considered by Government on their merits.

Government's Decentralisation Programme

Department/Office	Location	Number of staff
Defence	Galway	193
Social Welfare	Sligo	389
	Letterkenny	176
Social Welfare (1)	Longford	200
Justice	Killarney	130
Agriculture and Food	Cavan	114
Education	Athlone	171
Environment	Ballina	115
Revenue	Ennis	153
	Nenagh	215
Revenue (2)	Limerick	550
CSO (3)	Cork	422
Total		2,828

Notes:

(1) To date, 186 civil servants have located in Longford, with about 14 more to follow.

(2) To date, 299 civil servants have located to Limerick, with about 251 more to follow.

(3) To date, 384 civil servants have located in Cork, with approximately 38 more to follow.

Ongoing and Future decentralisation plans are as follows:

Department/Location	Location	Number of staff
OPW/Enterprise and Employment	Kilkenny	125-150
Social Welfare/Land Registry	Waterford	150-200
Revenue/Other	Dundalk	125-150
Education	Tullamore	150-200
Environment/Revenue	Wexford	150-200
Agriculture*	Portlaoise	150-200
Health**	Roscommon	50
Total		900-1,150

*About 91 civil servants and 20 temporary staff in situ to date.

**Approximate figure.