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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 16 Dec 2003

Vol. 577 No. 3

Written Answers. - Decentralisation Programme.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

473 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Health and Children the number in respect of the sections of his Department or boards or agencies operating under the aegis of his Department, it is proposed to decentralise which are housed in leased office space or premises; the annual amount paid in rent in each case; when the lease runs out in each case; if there are financial penalties involved in the breaking of the lease in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31301/03]

I have outlined to the House in detail the Government's plans on the health reform programme. The implications of this programme will affect the role of my Department, the organisation of functions and the development of new structures such as the health service executive and the health information and quality authority.

In his Budget Statement, my colleague the Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, indicated that 500 health sector staff would be decentralised and that new structures be located outside Dublin. In view of the current position in relation to the health reform programme, the Government has decided not to make any decisions at this time about exactly what staff should be decentralised and to what locations these jobs should be assigned. However, the Government has decided that the health service executive, incorporating the national hospitals office, the primary, community and continuing care pillar and the shared services centre, and the health information and quality authority will all be located outside Dublin.
The Government's policy in this is now being incorporated into the planning of the reform programme. The level of detail required by the Deputy is not available at the moment but will emerge as part of the detailed planning process already in train. Part of the planning process will clearly require transition management processes such as change management, communications, human resources, industrial relations as well as other interactions with the wider stakeholders and these have already been built in to the project plan.

Enda Kenny

Ceist:

474 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Health and Children the numbers employed by category and grade in his Department in which decentralisation is involved; the current numbers by grade in each office decentralised to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30817/03]

There are no proposals to decentralise any section of my Department or any of the bodies or agencies operating under its aegis.

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