I am pleased to have the opportunity to meet members of the joint committee today in my capacity as chairman of the decentralisation implementation group.
I am aware the committee met last year with my predecessor Mr. Phil Flynn to discuss the work of the group during 2004. I take this opportunity to thank Mr. Flynn who, with the assistance of the implementation group, oversaw a number of important initiatives to get the process up and running and to build a good foundation for further progress. Members have also had the opportunity to discuss the programme with the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon. I will, therefore, concentrate on informing members of recent developments in the implementation of the programme.
The main role of the implementation group is to oversee the development of an overall, robust and workable planning framework for decentralisation, with each Department and office taking responsibility for its own detailed implementation arrangements. I am happy to report that real progress is being made on all fronts. Significant numbers of civil servants will move next year under the programme with further large movements in 2007 and 2008. Decentralisation for those who have volunteered will soon become a reality.
When taking on this role, I was struck most forcefully by the scale of the implementation task. This ambitious programme involves the ultimate relocation of more than 10,300 public servants to 58 towns outside of Dublin. It touches on many of our most important public services involving the relocation of more than 50 organisations, including the ministerial offices and headquarters of eight Government Departments. It is a challenging objective but one I am increasingly confident the public service can not only deliver, but deliver well.
Many aspects of the programme are worth re-emphasising. This is a popular programme. We have received more than 10,600 applications from civil and public servants wishing to relocate. The most reassuring aspect is that we continue to receive new applications every day, averaging at approximately 100 per month. During the 14 months following the closing date for priority applications, more than 1,400 people have applied for decentralisation on the central applications facility. We anticipate interest will increase further as building and movement timetables firm up.
Movement right across the Civil Service has been a feature of previous successful decentralisation. Recent references to only one in nine staff moving with their posts represents only part of the picture. On this occasion also, when one takes account of the numbers of civil servants willing to change from their current Department or office in order to fill a post in the new location, the level of interest is very strong. This is particularly true in the case of what we refer to as "the early movers". Staff new to a Department or office will require training, a task which is being given high priority in preparation for decentralisation. Such staff will bring with them a range of experiences and skills that will undoubtedly stand them and their new Department in good stead. There also will be new recruits to the Civil Service who will receive the usual range of induction and other appropriate training.
The property elements of the programme are proceeding at a brisk pace. I have circulated a property update from the Office of Public Works for members' information. The report indicates that site or building acquisition negotiations have been completed in 13 locations. I understand contracts have been received for an additional ten locations, that suitable sites have been identified in a further 15 locations and that negotiations to acquire have either commenced or are close to commencement in these locations. By this time next year, builders will be on site in 16 locations. Each location requires that a brief of requirements be agreed with the organisation concerned, site selection be concluded, detailed tender specifications be drawn up and a public procurement process be completed.
Discussions have progressed on a number of human resource and industrial relations issues. Actual movement of staff within and between Departments and offices is now underway with approximately 950 staff already assigned to posts which will decentralise. Discussions are ongoing in other areas and I will touch on some of these in a moment. All Departments and offices have produced implementation plans setting out the detailed arrangements they are putting in place to plan for relocation while also ensuring business continuity and effective delivery of services to customers. The plans are comprehensive and involve detailed reviews of business processes and the logistics of the move. The group is impressed with the prudent approach being taken by each Department and office in relation to assessing the risks involved and the adoption of appropriate measures to manage business risk. The level of planning has, of course, advanced further in the case of the early movers, an issue with wish I will deal later.
In addition to progress in these specific areas, there are two overall factors which I believe will drive forward this programme and make it work. The first of these is the professionalism and dedication of our public servants. The implementation group has held a series of meetings during the past few weeks with the Secretaries General of Departments involved in the programme to discuss the planning framework, to assess progress to date and to hear about the challenges arising and steps proposed to address them. Following this round of discussions, I come to this meeting today confident that senior civil servants are leading the implementation of this programme in a professional and carefully planned manner and are availing of opportunities to improve their business processes and delivery of services in conjunction with decentralisation.
The second is the experience of decentralisation which the Civil Service has built up over the years. At present there are in excess of 13,000 civil servants working in a variety of locations outside Dublin, with significant concentrations in Cork which has almost 2,000, Limerick with more than 1,100 and Sligo with 800 civil servants. Members have heard evidence of the successful decentralisation of our revenue collection, social welfare and agriculture finance services. While not of the same scale, these were significant moves from which we have built up an expertise in inducting large numbers of new staff into an organisation, in effective transfer of knowledge and skills and in ensuring quality customer service in the transition phase. This learning is invaluable in planning and executing the current programme.
I would like also to mention a particular group of public servants who are playing a constructive role in supporting the programme. Staff in decentralising organisations or sections who are remaining in Dublin are key players in making this process work. They have quietly and proficiently played their part in preparing implementation plans, arranging for hand-over of skills and knowledge and are supporting decentralising colleagues in their new roles. This professionalism and commitment to quality public service has long been a tenet of the public service and is daily demonstrated in the implementation of the programme.
It has been said previously that the initial timescale mooted for the decentralisation programme was ambitious. That initial timeframe, however, has been very helpful as a catalyst for progress. The focus on three years initially greatly assisted in getting preparations off the ground quickly and has been instrumental in delivering the progress evident to date.
One of the first tasks of the implementation group was to map out phasing arrangements for the programme. The group identified 21 Civil Service locations across 17 counties for the first phase of moves. These locations were selected on the basis of an assessment of progress on property acquisition, numbers applying and business readiness to move. The selection was also informed by the implementation plans prepared by each organisation and the group's recommendations were accepted by the Government.
We have also put indicative timeframes on a further 24 Civil Service locations which were not announced in the first phase of moves. I do not see the programme as divided into discrete phases, however. While I expect to see the most fervent preparations taking place in organisations with early mover status, the remaining organisations will continue to plan their business, staffing and property solutions in readiness for moving. The moves are phased over the period 2005 to 2009. Present indications are that approximately 1,000 civil servants will relocate by end 2006, 2,500 will have relocated by end 2007 and 4,000 by end 2008. Almost 7,000 civil servants are due to relocate under the programme by end 2009. These numbers and dates are not, and cannot be, fixed in stone. There can be no guarantees with a programme as large as this, involving as it does, a large number of inter-related tasks. That is our best assessment at this stage of what it is reasonable to expect from a practical perspective. There will undoubtedly be variations, of which we are conscious. We will continue to monitor the situation to ensure there are no undue delays and that where there are, they are properly managed. A number of minor advance moves have already been made this year to Sligo, Portlaoise, Thurles, Tipperary town and Na Forbacha in Galway. The group will next turn its attention to the remaining public service bodies included in the programme. Progress is also being made on the relocation of 400 members of the Defence Forces to the Curragh and Garda personnel to Thurles to bring the total number of staff there, including civilians, to 200.
The issue of effective transfer of knowledge and skills is central to business continuity in the transition phase. A central feature of planning to date has been the documentation of business processes in preparation for the transfer of knowledge to and training of new staff. The committee will be aware from the figures provided by the Department of Finance that staff are now being assigned to decentralising posts. The early assignment of staff on a phased basis is a priority for organisations to ensure they balance the pace of integration with their business needs and customer service obligations. The lead-in time recognises that in many cases only a small number of staff are moving with their present jobs and that adequate time must be allowed to build up expertise with new staff. This is what has been done successfully in previous rounds of decentralisation and I am confident it will happen again this time.
Each early mover organisation is also canvassing those who have expressed a second or lower preference for particular locations. This is allowing opportunities for staff to change their first preference to an early mover location which is undersubscribed.
The group is paying close attention to developments in the ICT area and will continue to do so in the coming months. In our November 2004 report we specified the need for detailed planning of the decentralisation of ICT jobs by individual bodies. This planning is ongoing. Where possible, the Centre for Management and Organisation Development in the Department of Finance is providing assistance and guidance for ICT managers across the Civil Service. In this regard, a protocol for filling ICT posts across the Civil Service has been developed and presented to the relevant trade unions for consideration and discussion.
Departments and offices are in the process of identifying staff who wish to move to locations with ICT areas. Skills matrices are being developed to facilitate such transfers. Proposals for training and certification of new entrants to ICT areas are being developed, while analysis of the various options for data centre usage is taking place. Protocols for familiarisation and hand-over periods between staff are also being developed, while detailed analysis of staffing and phasing approaches is under way to facilitate eventual development of detailed implementation plans by those Departments and offices with decentralising ICT areas.
While industrial relations matters relating to the programme are dealt with by the Department of Finance, the implementation group is fully aware of developments in this important area. Discussions have allowed progress to be made on a number of human resources and industrial relations issues which has laid the groundwork for the assignment of staff from the CAF to the decentralising organisations.
Discussions are continuing between public service management and staff interests in other areas. The committee will be aware of some of the issues to be addressed regarding professional and technical staff who represent approximately 10% of the total number of posts decentralising. While the professional and technical grades do not represent a large part of the early mover cadre, their position is more complex than that of the general Civil Service grades. The level of applications from these grades has been lower than from the general Civil Service grades. Historically, there has been less flexibility to transfer to posts in other organisations where a particular professional or technical grade is not represented. Discussions will continue on these issues in the next few months.
The other main issue which requires attention at this stage is that of State agencies. In its November 2004 report the group recommended that seven State agencies receive initial priority attention in implementation of the programme, while still ensuring progress for the remaining organisations. These seven State agencies represent approximately 720 posts. Progress is being made in a number of them. Members will be aware, however, that there are a number of outstanding issues concerning the movement of State agencies. This is a voluntary programme and it is essential to address the concerns of all staff, including management of the agencies, in order to bring all concerned along with the programme. In our most recent report to the Minister for Finance in June it was our view that a more tailored approach was required for State agencies. It is primarily the responsibility of the board and senior management of each agency to advance the programme and I look forward to seeing more progress on this front. My assessment of progress in State agencies will also be informed by the next iteration of their implementation plans which I hope to receive by the end of the year.
Staff remaining in Dublin are key to the success of the programme. Moves of Dublin staff to Dublin posts are already taking place on a bilateral basis as posts become vacant through drawdown from the CAF. Arrangements are in place to allow the reassignment of staff, within Dublin, whose posts are being decentralised and who wish to remain in Dublin. A facility has been established through the Public Appointments Service to allow staff remaining in Dublin to express preferences as to the organisation in which they would like to work. This will continue throughout the transition phase of the programme and my group will continue to monitor progress in this priority area in the coming months.
The property costs of the programme are being managed professionally by the OPW. The objective is that the property acquired at regional level is matched over time in cost terms by the disposal of property currently held in Dublin. The OPW reports regularly to the implementation group on all the property aspects, including costs. At the request of the group, the Department of Finance has issued guidelines to Departments and offices on the capture of data on non-property costs, including transition costs such as knowledge transfer and training, as well as any ongoing costs and savings. Costs are being captured as they arise and the overall position will be assessed periodically by the group. Details will also be provided on a regular basis for this committee as part of the regular reporting arrangements entered into by the Department of Finance.
Implementation of the programme is proceeding well. This is a popular programme with over 10,600 applications from civil and public servants wanting to move from Dublin or their existing provincial location. We are continuing to receive on average 100 new applications per month. The property elements of the programme are proceeding very well with negotiations completed or significantly advanced by the OPW in 23 locations. A number of human resources and industrial relations issues have been progressed, allowing the assignment of decentralising staff within and between Departments and offices. Implementation plans have been prepared, setting out the detailed arrangements Departments and offices are putting in place to plan for relocation, while also ensuring business continuity and effective delivery of services to customers.
I hope I have given the committee a flavour of progress to date. It is difficult to cover all of the issues in a brief statement but I am happy to take questions on all aspects of the implementation task.
