Vol. 498 No. 1
222 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Finance if there is a list of applicants at clerical officer level within his Department who wish to locate in County Kilkenny; the way in which this list is prioritised; the number of transfers granted from the list to County Kilkenny; if the list will be depleted in view of the new decentralised offices in Kilkenny; his views on the present system; and the changes, if any, planned in this regard. [26648/98]
Under the terms of the central transfer scheme, clerical officers seeking a transfer within the Civil Service, from Dublin to an office outside Dublin, apply in writing to the personnel section of their parent Department, indicating the geographical location to which they wish to transfer. The personnel section then forwards the application to all Government Departments and offices which have offices in that location. The maintenance of individual transfer lists is a matter for DepartmentsOffices which have offices outside Dublin.
Under the decentralisation programme, from time to time, opportunities for transfer to the decentralised offices are advertised throughout the Civil Service by means of circular. An officer who meets the eligibiliity requirements specified in the particular circular may apply for such a transfer. The selection process is a matter for the Department-Office where the vacancies arise.
The Department of Finance has no offices outside Dublin, therefore, no transfer lists are held in, or administered by my Department. Furthermore, details are not held centrally of applications made.
The office of the Revenue Commissioners has offices in Kilkenny and there are at present in excess of 100 clerical officers on their central transfer list awaiting transfer to those offices. These applications are prioritised on the basis of the date the application is made.
The Office of Public Works maintains a list of clerical officers who wish to transfer to its decentralised offices in Kilkenny. This list is prioritised on the basis of the date each application is made. Five clerical officers have transferred from other Departments to these decentralised offices in 1998. There are still a substantial number of applicants remaining on the transfer list for the Kilkenny office of the Office of Public Works.
I am anxious that the central transfer arrangements set out in agreements with the staff side for the Civil Service, be adhered to where possible, subject, as the staff will be aware to the needs of the work of the various Departments and offices. I am happy that the present decentralisation procedures operate satisfactorily and no changes are planned.
