Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2004
351 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the measures he will take to ensure that public service levels are maintained within the agencies due to be decentralised under his control, during and after the decentralisation process; the way in which this can be achieved in the event of wholesale staff change; and the way in which he will measure the outcomes. [23336/04]
View answer352 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if the public will receive the same level of quality and service from the agencies in his Department which they currently enjoy, during and after the decentralisation process; and if the cost of providing such services will not increase as a result of decentralisation and be an extra burden on the taxpayer. [23337/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 351 and 352 together.
The Government's decentralisation programme includes the decentralisation of Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, to Clonakilty, the Central Fisheries Board, CFB, to Carrick-on Shannon and Sustainable Energy Ireland, SEI, to Dundalk.
Each organisation involved in the programme has submitted a decentralisation implementation plan to the decentralisation implementation committee. In the case of the three agencies under the remit of my Department, these plans contain preliminary risk analysis and plans for risk mitigation which take into consideration the impact of all aspects of the decentralisation process, including the potential for significant staff turnover and loss of corporate memory — expertise and business continuity — business efficiency requirements. These plans will continue to evolve in line with developments.
My Department is liaising on an ongoing basis with the agencies involved in relation to the decentralisation process and particularly in relation to project management, risk and opportunity assessment and business continuity strategies, including knowledge management. The overall objective for the Department and the agencies in implementing decentralisation is to maintain and enhance standards of service delivery and to realise opportunities for modernisation and business efficiency and effectiveness as part of the process.
353 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the way in which he will ensure that specialist agencies in his Department due to be decentralised such as Board Iascaigh Mhara, will retain its expert staff in view of the very low level of interest shown by staff in internal surveys in the agencies due to decentralise. [23338/04]
View answerThe Government's decentralisation programme includes the decentralisation of Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, to Clonakilty, the Central Fisheries Board, CFB, to Carrick-on Shannon and Sustainable Energy Ireland, SEI, to Dundalk.
Analysis of the most recent data from the central applications facility indicates that some 62% of staff in the SEI have expressed an interest in decentralising with the organisation. In the case of BIM and the CFB, expressions of interest to date are low. Central developments will have a bearing on trends and developments at agency level in the coming months.
The decentralisation implementation plans of the three agencies concerned have signalled the potential for significant staff turnover and loss of corporate memory-expertise, particularly as regards technical, professional and expert functions. The mitigation strategies outlined in the plans include knowledge management and transfer to underpin business continuity. These strategies will continue to evolve in the light of developments at the centre.
354 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the consultations he engaged in prior to the decision to relocate his Department to Cavan and Bord Iascaigh Mhara and another part of his Department to Clonakilty; the way in which the choice of these venues was arrived at; the persons whom he consulted; when he consulted with them; and the outcome of those consultations. [23339/04]
View answerThe Government announcement of 3 December 2003 provided for the relocation of my Department's headquarters and functions to Cavan and An Bord Iascaigh Mhara to Clonakilty. It was subsequently decided that the Department's seafood and coastal zone functions would also be located in Clonakilty.
Our focus has been on widespread consultation with stakeholders both internal and external since those decisions were made. In particular, consultation with staff interests are being progressed via the established partnership and departmental council fora. In addition, there has been regular liaison with Department of Finance, the decentralisation implementation — Flynn — committee and with the Office of Public Works on relevant aspects of the programme.
The Department's decentralisation implementation plan provides for ongoing consultation with all parties as the decentralisation programme rolls out.
