Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 June 2004
164 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if a person (details supplied) is likely to be facilitated by decentralisation proposals with a view to transfer to the Department of Agriculture and Food from the Department of Arts, Sports and Tourism and who applied for same more than one year ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16755/04]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the central applications facility — CAF — was launched on 12 May 2004 to facilitate all staff in the Civil Service or in agencies designated for decentralisation who wish to relocate to one of the decentralised locations.
Although the individual referred to in the Deputy's question, who currently serves in my Department, has already applied for a transfer to the Department of Agriculture and Food in Portlaoise, she must also apply through the CAF in accordance with the agreed procedures. I understand that the results of the CAF will not be available until early July and I am not yet, therefore, in a position to say whether the individual in question is likely to be facilitated.
165 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has had a risk assessment carried out on possible consequential risks to the effectiveness of services provided by each Department or agency under his aegis which is to relocate under the Government’s decentralisation programme; if not, the reason therefor; and if so, if the risk assessment will be published, furnished to the Comptroller and Auditor General and accessible under the Freedom of Information Act 1997. [16849/04]
View answer166 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if the Secretary General of his Department has provided him with advice in pursuance of the Secretary General’s responsibility as Accounting Officer under public finance procedures as set out in table 2 of the Mullarkey report; and if not, if he has requested such advice from the Secretary General. [16864/04]
View answer168 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will take steps to ensure that the annual report of his Department will contain a risk assessment of decentralisation, as it affects his Department or agencies under its aegis, dealing with strategic, operational, financial and reputational risks as set out in paragraph 6.31 of the Mullarkey report. [16894/04]
View answer169 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if the audit committee of his Department will consider a risk assessment with regard to strategic, operational, financial and reputational risks of the implementation of the Government’s decentralisation proposals as they affect his Department or its agencies; and if not, the reason therefor, in view of the recommendation of the Mullarkey committee that such risk assessment be carried out. [16909/04]
View answer170 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his Secretary General has tendered advice to him in pursuance of his personal responsibility as Secretary General under public financial procedures for economy and efficiency in the administration of his Department on the impact in the short or long term on the economy and the efficiency of administration of his Department or its agencies arising from the Government’s proposals for decentralisation. [16967/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 165, 166 and 168 to 170, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the decentralisation implementation group, chaired by Mr. Phil Flynn, in its first report dated 31 March 2004, recommended that each organisation participating in the decentralisation programme should prepare its own implementation plan and submit it to the group. Officials in my Department are finalising the Department's initial implementation plan, which will address the main issues arising from the decentralisation of the Department to Killarney. The plans will be further developed as additional information becomes available in respect of the issues relating to people, property and business, as identified in the Flynn report.
The plan identifies the main risks associated with the move and outlines strategies to mitigate such risks. The Secretary General of my Department is particularly conscious of the issues, such as service and business continuity, efficiency and effectiveness and financial implications, and intends that strategies will be put in place to minimise any such risks. I am happy to arrange for the publication of my Department's plan and the plans of the agencies under my Department's aegis as soon as possible after the plans have been made available to the implementation group and to staff interests.
As regards the issue of public financial procedures generally, I assure the Deputy that along with the management advisory committee — MAC — in my Department, I review all ongoing programmes and potential future activities on a regular basis. As required in the public financial procedures, the Secretary General and officials of my Department provide me with full and comprehensive briefing, including relevant financial considerations, regarding the preparation and implementation of policy proposals relating to expenditure. In addition, there is an ongoing awareness in my Department of the type of risks identified in paragraph 6.31 of the report of the working group on the accountability of Secretaries General and Accounting Officers, the Mullarkey report. I confirm that all of these issues are regularly addressed in my Department.
I would have no difficulty in ensuring that my Department's annual report for 2004 will contain an assessment of the risks associated with decentralisation and the strategies that my Department proposes to overcome such risks.
