Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2004
206 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason the decentralisation implementation plan for his Department was not completed within the time limit set; and if the preparation of this report has involved the diversion of staff resources from other work. [17769/04]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the decision to decentralise the Department's development co-operation directorate to Limerick raised a number of issues relating to the conditions of service which would apply to officers of the Department of Foreign Affairs transferring to Limerick and to officers of other Departments and agencies joining this Department. It has been necessary to consider these issues with the Department of Finance and we are in ongoing consultation with them in this regard.
The Department has also recently inspected a site in Limerick city proposed by the Office of Public Works, OPW, as the location for the new premises for the development co-operation directorate. Certain issues arising from that inspection remain to be addressed with the OPW. The suitability, or otherwise, of the site will have a major bearing on the timescale for completion of the decentralisation, and therefore on the implementation plan.
In light of that, it was not feasible for this Department to meet the time frame recommended in the report of the decentralisation implementation group for submission of implementation plans. The plan is now being finalised by a committee, comprising mainly representatives of the Department's corporate services and development co-operation divisions, and has not necessitated the diversion of staff resources from other work. I am confident the plan will be submitted to the Department of Finance within the next ten days.
207 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason he has not replied to Parliamentary Question No. 120 of 2 June 2004. [17770/04]
View answerIn his Parliamentary Question No. 120 of 2 June 2004, the Deputy asked if the Minister for Foreign Affairs would take steps to ensure that the annual report of his Department would 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. In my combined reply to this and a number of related questions, I indicated that the Department's annual report would take account of the Department's decentralisation implementation plan which would, in turn, address issues such as service and business continuity, efficiency and effectiveness and financial implications and would incorporate specific risk assessment and mitigation strategies. I also indicated there was a high level of awareness in the Department of Foreign Affairs of the types 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, and that the Department's implementation plan would be submitted to me prior to its transmission to the decentralisation implementation group.
