Vol. 577 No. 3
280 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has consulted with the boards or management or staff of the agencies under the aegis of his Department in regard to proposals to decentralise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30951/03]
No consultations took place with the boards or management or staff of the agencies under the aegis of my Department in regard to the decentralisation proposals. The existing partnership structures will deal with any implementation related issues which are specific to the Department or its agencies.
281 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number and grade of the staff to move from Dublin to Mullingar in regard to the move of his Department headquarters; the square footage of the office in which those staff are currently located in Dublin; if the office is owned by the State; if not, the plans for the disposal of this office once the proposed move has been effected; the precise location in Mullingar to which the staff will move; the proposed square footage of the office accommodation to be provided there; if the accommodation in question is already built; if not, the plans for building the accommodation; if his Department headquarters will be maintaining a location in Dublin in order to provide a base for assistance to him in regard to Dáil Éireann business, meeting delegations and so on; if so, the location of this accommodation; if discussions have taken place with staff interests with regard to the move; if the staff moving will be eligible for disturbance money; if not, if an estimate has been made of the additional travelling costs and expenses claims which will be incurred; when he expects the move to Mullingar to be fully complete; if he expects that difficulties will arise in regard to the administration of policy in his Department arising from the fact that the office will no longer be close; and if arrangements will be made for civil servants who are local authority tenants in Dublin to obtain similar tenancies in Mullingar. [31054/03]
Under the programme of decentralisation announced by the Minister for Finance in his budget speech, it is proposed to transfer 300 posts from my Department's offices in Dublin to Mullingar. No decision has been taken as to which functions or sections of the Department will be located in the Mullingar offices. The information requested in relation to office accommodation forms a significant block of work and Office of Public Works, which has responsibility for the provision of Government office accommodation, has been requested to compile the relevant information. This will be forwarded to the Deputy on receipt from Office of Public Works.
282 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number and grade of the staff to move from Dublin to Athlone in regard to the move of the Higher Education Authority; the square footage of the office in which those staff are currently located in Dublin; if the office is owned by the State; if not, the plans for the disposal of this office once the proposed move has been effected; the precise location in Athlone to which the staff will move; the proposed square footage of the office accommodation to be provided there; if the accommodation in question is already built; if not, the plans for building the accommodation; if the Higher Education Authority will be maintaining a location in Dublin in order to provide a base for assistance to him in regard to Dáil Éireann business, meeting delegations and so on; if so, the location of this accommodation; if discussions have taken place with staff interests with regard to the move; if the staff moving will be eligible for disturbance money; if not, if an estimate has been made of the additional travelling costs and expenses claims which will be incurred; when he expects the move to Athlone to be fully complete; if he expects that difficulties will arise in regard to the administration of policy in his Department arising from the fact that the office will no longer be close; and if arrangements will be made for civil servants who are local authority tenants in Dublin to obtain similar tenancies in Athlone. [31055/03]
The current staff number in the Higher Education Authority (HEA) is 54, including nine staff employed by the National Access Office, the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology. The pay allocation for the Higher Education Authority for 2003 is €2,993,000. The square footage of the accommodation currently being rented by the Higher Education Authority is in excess of 16,000 square foot. In relation to the provision of office accommodation in Athlone, this is a matter for the Office of Public Works (OPW). Suitable accommodation, within Office of Public Works accommodation norms, will be provided for the staff in question.
With regard to staff discussions, no consultations took place with staff prior to the recent announcement on decentralisation. The existing partnership structures will deal with any implementation-related issues which are specific to this Department or its agencies. Any public service-wide issues will be addressed under the auspices of the Public Service Monitoring Group provided for in Sustaining Progress.
283 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number and grade of the staff to move from Dublin to Portarlington in regard to the move of the National Education Welfare Board and NCCA; the square footage of the office in which those staff are currently located in Dublin; if the office is owned by the State; if not, the plans for the disposal of this office once the proposed move has been effected; the precise location in Portarlington to which the staff will move; the proposed square footage of the office accommodation to be provided there; if the accommodation in question is already built; if not, the plans for building the accommodation; if the National Education Welfare Board and NCCA will be maintaining a location in Dublin in order to provide a base for assistance to him in regard to Dáil Éireann business, meeting delegations and so on; if so, the location of this accommodation; if discussions have taken place with staff interests with regard to the move; if the staff moving will be eligible for disturbance money; if not, if an estimate has been made of the additional travelling costs and expenses claims which will be incurred; when he expects the move to Portarlington to be fully complete; if he expects that difficulties will arise in regard to the administration of policy in his Department arising from the fact that the office will no longer be close; and if arrangements will be made for civil servants who are local authority tenants in Dublin to obtain similar tenancies in Portarlington. [31056/03]
All of the functions of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and all of the head office functions of the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) which now operate from Dublin are included in the programme of decentralisation recently announced by the Minister for Finance. In the case of the NCCA, the square footage of its current main office building is 7,000. The premises are leased, with an expiry date of 13 August 2023, with a break option in the lease at 13 August 2013, subject to a penalty payment of six months rent. The NCCA also occupies 1,482 square feet of space in another building, the lease for which ends on 31 January 2006.
In the case of the NEWB, the rent for its head office, in Green Street, Dublin, is €225,899 per annum. The lease is for 25 years and expires on 20 November 2028, with break options in the fifth and tenth years, with penalty payments of six months rent. Suitable accommodation, within Office of Public Works accommodation norms, will be provided for the staff in question.
No consultations took place with staff or staff representatives in the National Educational Welfare Board or National Council for Curriculum and Assessment prior to the recent announcement on decentralisation. The existing partnership structures will deal with any implementation-related issues which are specific to the two agencies. Any public service-wide issues will be addressed under the auspices of the public service monitoring group provided in Sustaining Progress.
284 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number and grade of the staff to move from Dublin to Edenderry in regard to the move of the NQAI/HETA/FETAC; the square footage of the office in which those staff are currently located in Dublin; if the office is owned by the State; if not, the plans for the disposal of this office once the proposed move has been effected; the precise location in Edenderry to which the staff will move; the proposed square footage of the office accommodation to be provided there; if the accommodation in question is already built; if not, the plans for building the accommodation; if the NQAI/HETA/FETAC will be maintaining a location in Dublin in order to provide a base for assistance to him in regard to Dáil Éireann business, meeting delegations and so on; if so, the location of this accommodation; if discussions have taken place with staff interests with regard to the move; if the staff moving will be eligible for disturbance money; if not, if an estimate has been made of the additional travelling costs and expenses claims which will be incurred; when he expects the move to Edenderry to be fully complete; if he expects that difficulties will arise in regard to the administration of policy in his Department arising from the fact that the office will no longer be close; and if arrangements will be made for civil servants who are local authority tenants in Dublin to obtain similar tenancies in Edenderry. [31057/03]
The decentralisation plans provide that a combined total of 75 staff in the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council and the Further Education and Training Awards Council will move to Edenderry. The staff range in grade in each agency from chief executive to clerical and administrative grades.
In the case of the National Qualifications Authority, the premises is leased with effect from 5 December 2002 for 25 years, with the right to terminate the lease at the end of ten years if the authority wishes to do so. The authority is responsible for the rent and outgoings until the end of the tenth year, but may assign the lease, with the landlord's consent, to a third party. If the permitted assignment is to a State tenant, the provisions contained in the termination clause continue to apply. The premises is 547.5 square metres and the rent is €219,217.50 per annum, with rent reviews every five years.
In the case of the Higher Education and Training Awards Council, (HETAC) the premises is leased, with effect from 31 December 2002, for 21 years. The area of the premises is approximately 13,400 square feet. The rent is €280,000, with rent reviews every six years. HETAC is responsible for costs until the expiry of the lease. In the case of the Further Education and Training Awards Council, FETAC, the premises is leased for 25 years with effect from 26 June 2002. A break out clause provides that the lease may be re-assigned after 15 years. FETAC is liable for all costs until this date. The area of the premises is 17,610 square feet, plus 22 car spaces and the rent is €393,211.85 per annum.
While all the leases do not provide specifically for sub lease to a third party, it is anticipated that this can be negotiated and will not present insurmountable problems. Detailed plans and time-scales for the decentralisation move will not emerge in advance of the report from the national decentralisation implementation committee. It is not anticipated that the agencies will retain premises in Dublin after the move.
Decentralisation of staff will take place on a voluntary basis and, accordingly, payment of disturbance or removal expenses will not arise. Local authority tenants on the staff of these agencies will be given every possible assistance, but in the event of not being able to address their needs, they will still have the option of redeployment to a Dublin-based service. The Department does not expect difficulties in administration to arise, having regard to the scope for communication through new technologies. Discussions with staff interests are being planned at present.
Question No. 285 answered with Question No. 73.
