Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 April 2004
12 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position in regard to the decentralisation proposals for his Department announced in the budget; the information available to him on the number of persons who have indicated a willingness to transfer to new locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10217/04]
View answerThe Government announcement of 3 December 2003 in relation to decentralisation provides for the relocation of my Department's headquarters and 425 staff to Cavan. In addition, BIM and the Central Fisheries Board are to re-locate to Clonakilty and Carrick-on-Shannon, respectively.
It has subsequently been decided that approximately 90 departmental staff, encompassing the seafood and coastal zone policy, management, technical and regulatory functions, will also be located in Clonakilty.
A preliminary survey of staff preferences regarding decentralisation was conducted in December to establish the initial levels of interest across the Department in relocating to Cavan or to any of the new locations under the decentralisation programme. Under 7% expressed an interest in Cavan, while over 28% expressed an interest in other, unspecified locations. Already at this early stage over one third of my staff have expressed an interest in decentralising.
This was very much an initial information gathering exercise. It was stressed to staff that this was a preliminary non-binding survey. It is envisaged that expressions of preference will shortly be sought centrally from staff across all Departments following approval by Government of the implementation plan prepared by the Flynn committee.
No survey has been undertaken to date in relation to Clonakilty.
There have been a number of initial inquiries in this regard from staff in the Department, while a number of staff in other Departments have expressed an interest in decentralising to either Cavan or Clonakilty.
