In 1976, some 50 staff in the accounts branch of the then-named forest and wildlife service were decentralised to Castlebar, County Mayo. As a result of departmental reconfiguration over time and, in particular, the establishment of the State forestry agency, Coillte, the accounts branch of my Department based in Castlebar today consists of 18 staff. Given the number of years that have elapsed and the extent of reconfiguration of departmental boundaries since this decentralisation, my Department is not in a position to source the specific information requested by the Deputy in relation to the Castlebar decentralisation.
On the recent decentralisation of the Marine Institute, 95 staff have, to date relocated from Dublin to Galway. An additional 40 individuals have confirmed they will be moving to Galway on completion of the institute's new facility at Oranmore. It is anticipated that some 135 staff will be based in Galway by end 2005. Of the institute's staff who have relocated, 88% transferred at their current grade and 12% on foot of a promotion.