The ICT functions of three large Departments, together with the Centre for Management Organisation & Development of the Department of Finance (CMOD) are due to relocate under the Decentralisation Programme as follows: Revenue Commissioners to Kildare; Social & Family Affairs to Drogheda; Agriculture & Food to Portlaoise; CMOD to Kildare. In addition, REACH and the Local Government Computer Services Board are due to move to Drogheda. As all decentralising organisations moving in their entirety will also be relocating an ICT capacity, ICT is addressed in their implementation plans to a varying degree.
The Decentralisation Implementation Group (DIG) has received a comprehensive update from CMOD in relation to progress on ICT moves in the four main organisations. Following from this, the Group proposes to discuss immediately with the Secretaries General of the organisations concerned the progress made and issues arising in each case in more detail. The Group will then revert to my Department with options for a feasible way forward.
The issue of managed data centre services was also addressed by the DIG. The OPW is being asked to convene a working group to determine (i) the feasibility of procuring private sector versus State owned accommodation for data centres, including a cost benefit analysis of the options, and (ii) the logistics, costs, financing and staffing implications of State managed/operated data centres. It is expected that this work will be completed by Spring of 2007.
A protocol has been prepared by my Department to address the filling of ICT posts and a sub-group of General Council has been established to move the process forward. The Centre for Management and Organisational Development (CMOD) has already concluded a pilot programme of ICT certified training and is currently developing tender proposals to source trainers to provide such certified training for new entrants to the ICT area. These initiatives will assist in ensuring a pipeline of skilled ICT staff in the Civil Service. Pending the outcome of the work detailed above, it is not possible to estimate the costs associated with the ICT relocation.