Billy Timmins
Question:9 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Development Cooperation Ireland will continue to be able to operate effectively if it is relocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30044/04]
View answerWednesday, 24 November 2004
Questions (9)
Oral answers (45 contributions)
In the Government's decision on decentralisation announced by the Minister for Finance on 4 December 2003, it was provided that the development co-operation directorate of the Department of Foreign Affairs would be relocated to Limerick. My Department has been working closely with the Department of Finance and the Office of Public Works on the implementation of that decision. In accordance with the recommendations of the Flynn committee, my Department prepared a decentralisation implementation plan and submitted it to the committee for consideration. The Flynn committee submitted a further report to the Cabinet on progress to date on decentralisation, including the sequencing aspect. The contents of the report are being studied. My Department will continue its planning to ensure implementation of Government policy on decentralisation and will take every measure necessary to ensure that the development programme will continue to operate effectively in the new location.
Given that the Minister of State said his Department is working closely with the Department of Finance and the OPW on the decentralisation programme, will he confirm that only ten of the 124 staff of Development Cooperation Ireland have applied for or agreed to decentralisation?
The Deputy's figures are incorrect.
What are the correct ones?
I can confirm that 144 people have volunteered from the wider Civil Service. There are 124 positions——
How many of the 124 agreed to decentralisation?
If the Deputy bears with me, I can provide him with all the relevant figures.
Perhaps the Minister of State would answer when I am finished my contribution.
I apologise.
Is the Minister of State aware of a report on this matter that is to be published in the international journal of the Royal Irish Academy? In her annual review of the aid programme, which is to constitute the report, Professor Helen O'Neill states that the plan to decentralise will damage the integrity of Ireland's foreign policy and fossilise its development work. She also states that the decentralisation of key staff will make Development Cooperation Ireland remote from the policy-generating activity of the Department and that staff will waste considerable time travelling to and from Dublin.
Will the Minister reconsider the decision made to decentralise in view of the findings of the annual review of the aid programme? On 2 August 2004, The Irish Times outlined Helen O’Neill’s view that severe damage will be done to DCI and that: “any move is likely to lead to ‘a haemorrhage’ of middle and senior-ranking staff that could irreparably damage the linkage between DCI and those working overseas”.
Given that I have been in this job for only one month, I have not read the report by the professor that the Deputy quoted.
If The Irish Times referred to it, the Minister of State must surely be aware of it.
The report that I have read, which is the most interesting one on this subject, is by our own advisory board, an independent body that advises the Department on its work. It has also expressed reservations on the decentralisation plan. My Department and officials are working very hard to ensure that there are no risks associated with the move.
There are 124 positions available for people who wish to move to Limerick. As the Deputy knows, Development Cooperation Ireland is moving to Limerick in its entirety. I only received the Flynn report at 12.30 p.m. today and have not had time to peruse it fully. My Department will be in the first wave of officials and Departments that will move under the decentralisation programme. The plan is that Development Cooperation Ireland will move to Limerick in the first quarter of 2007. It is a serious issue.
That was not my question. It concerned how many of the 124 staff agreed to be moved under decentralisation.
I will now answer directly the Deputy's specific question on the figures. The overall position is that 124 positions are available in Limerick. From the entire civil and public service we have had 144 applicants for the 124 positions.
How many of the current staff have indicated their willingness to move?
That is what I am talking about. Thirty-one people from the Department of Foreign Affairs itself have expressed interest in moving to Limerick. For reasons concerning staff relations, their identities are confidential. The Civil Service Commission obviously keeps the expressions of interest and applications to itself. However, we will find out who the 31 people are in the next few days. I am not in a position to enlighten the Deputy further on their ranks. The 31 people will know exactly the position they hold in the foreign affairs structure in the next few days. When the information becomes available, I hope we will be able to use it effectively to expedite the move to Limerick.
The Minister of State has not even answered my question on how many of the 124 staff of DCI have indicated their willingness to transfer to Limerick. He should give a straight answer to a straight question. Is the number I seek not closer to ten than 31?
One of the other issues to which the Deputy referred was that of remoteness, as raised by the advisory board. Development Cooperation Ireland, despite its having a separate name, is a fully integrated part of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
I know that.
There are 31 officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs willing to move. We do not distinguish between staff at Development Cooperation Ireland and those of the Department generally.
The Minister of State does not want to answer.
The organisation is a fully integrated part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and there is a strong link for obvious reasons. It is not just a question of overseas aid——
It will not be integrated for very long.
——but also of diplomacy. The reason I cannot identify precisely the 31 members of staff and their sections in the Department of Foreign Affairs is because we will only discover this information in the next few days.
Paul Cullen of The Irish Times seems to know more about it than the Minister of State.
When that information becomes available, I will communicate directly with the Deputy on the matter.
I have a supplementary question on Development Cooperation Ireland. The Minister's Department confirmed yesterday that the VAT refund on the Band Aid DVD and CD would be funded through the current aid budget of Development Cooperation Ireland rather than through additional funding. How can the Minister of State justify robbing Peter to pay Paul? Is it not ridiculous and does it not show that the Government is downgrading Development Cooperation Ireland?
I need some guidance from the Leas-Cheann Comhairle on this matter. The Deputy's supplementary question is the subject of another parliamentary question.
It widens the scope of the question.
I do not know if I am in order to answer.
The Minister of State certainly is.
I call Question No. 10.
He should feel free.
The Chair has called Question No. 10.
The net point is that there is no robbing of Peter to pay Paul.
I have called Question No. 10.
This money is to be paid from the increased funding that we have achieved in the Estimates.
The Chair has called Question No. 10.
It will not affect any existing commitment made under the programme——
The Minister of State should be at the races.
The Chair has called Question No. 10.
I cannot believe the Deputy suggests that we would not do this.
The Chair has called Question No. 10.
It is ridiculous.