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Decentralisation Programme.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 June 2004

Tuesday, 29 June 2004

Questions (335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340)

Noel Grealish

Question:

335 Mr. Grealish asked the Minister for Transport if he will give a response on the enclosed query (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19534/04]

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Tony Gregory

Question:

349 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Transport his views on the concerns of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 regarding the proposed decentralisation of the Bus Éireann head office to Mitchelstown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19527/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 335 and 349 together.

The process of managing the decentralisation applications programme is being organised through the central applications facility, CAF, that is being run by the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commission. This facility, which is accessible on the Internet, has details of the jobs which have been identified for decentralisation and the locations to which they are going to move.

The policy governing the decentralisation programme allows all civil and public servants to apply for a transfer to a decentralised provincial location and those who do so may state their preference in respect of: internal transfers at their current grade to posts being decentralised in their parent Department or organisation; and transfer at their current grade to posts in other Departments and organisations being decentralised as part of the programme.

Only employees of Bus Éireann may formally apply for a decentralised position in Bus Éireann. At this point, anyone indicating a wish to transfer to Mitchelstown is merely expressing a preference rather than making a firm application. The mechanism for finalising transfers has not yet been completed and will be subject to further discussion with the public service unions.

The decentralisation programme will operate on an entirely voluntary basis. Those who do not wish to transfer to a decentralised location will be assigned to alternative public service posts in Dublin and the procedures that will apply in such cases will be the subject of discussions with the public service unions.

All change brings with it an element of risk. I am confident that with good planning and management any risk will be reduced to the absolute minimum. It is for this reason that all organisations involved in the decentralisation programme have prepared implementation plans which will be refined and amended as the process moves forward.

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

336 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Transport the progress that has been made in regard to the proposed decentralisation of Bus Éireann; the number of staff that have volunteered to transfer; the number of staff that do not intend to transfer; the arrangements that have been made to accommodate those who will not transfer; the position regarding the staff that have skills or experience which apply principally to the transport sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19065/04]

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As there are no results available as yet from the central applications facility it is not possible to state the number of staff in Bus Éireann who have expressed an interest in relocation or those who have not.

Public servants who do not wish to relocate will be assigned to alternative posts in Dublin. The exact procedures that will apply will be dealt with as part of the implementation process and will be discussed with the public service unions.

Richard Bruton

Question:

337 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the risk analysis and the cost benefit analysis which he has carried out or proposes to carry out in respect of decentralisation as it affects his Department. [19089/04]

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A risk analysis, as it affects my Department, is being completed as part of my Department's decentralisation implementation plan. No formal cost benefit analysis has been carried out.

Richard Bruton

Question:

338 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the average annual increase in salary costs, overtime and travel to, from and in the decentralised offices in the three years following decentralisation compared to these costs for those business units in the three years preceding decentralisation, in respect of the last decentralisation by his Department. [19104/04]

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Richard Bruton

Question:

339 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the number of persons decentralised and the full duration of the project, in respect of the last decentralisation by his Department; the number of internal and external transfers which were required to obtain the requisite number of persons decentralising; the amount of time necessary to train decentralising persons and the percentage and duration of overlapping staff which was required; and the additional costs for overtime and travel and subsistence incurred. [19119/04]

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I propose to answer Questions Nos. 338 and 339 together.

My Department has not been involved in any decentralisation process to date. The Public Enterprise (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002, which came into operation on 19 June 2002, altered the name of the Department of Public Enterprise to the Department of Transport.

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