Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 April 2004
167 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress made by his Department in relation to the decentralisation of its staff; if he has undertaken a survey of staff which indicates the number willing to decentralise; when this can be expected to begin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11939/04]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the progress of decentralisation in any Department is guided by the overall implementation process being carried out by the central implementation group. Significant progress has been achieved within my Department to date.
A dedicated decentralisation unit has been set up to manage the programme. This unit has prepared an information pack, which includes a wide range of information on 17 towns in the area surrounding Knock Airport, as well as Na Forbacha and Clifden. The unit issues regular bulletins to the staff with all the up-to-date information available on decentralisation.
A departmental decentralisation committee has been established to steer the decentralisation process within the Department. Membership of the committee is made up of senior management and staff. In addition, a liaison officer has been appointed to facilitate communication between the Department of Finance and my Department.
Special meetings of the partnership committee are held to specifically address issues arising from decentralisation. There is also regular communication between the Department and staff associations through the departmental council process.
A decentralisation implementation plan for my Department is currently being prepared. Matters which will come within the framework of this plan include: job analysis and process mapping for each function within my Department; induction and training schedules for transferring staff; planning for phased transfer of staff; provision of appropriate office accommodation in each location; logistics; and risk assessment
No survey of staff has been carried out as yet to ascertain the level of interest in decentralisation. The CAF system, as announced in the Flynn report, will carry out this task on a Civil Service wide basis. It is expected that the system will to be available on-line by the end of May to allow staff to register their preferences and that an analysis of the information ascertained will be available by the end of June. My Department will then, subject to such arrangements as are agreed centrally, be in a position to proceed with the next phase of the decentralisation process.
