Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 July 2004
113 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the major factors which led to the particular decentralised location chosen, and the criteria used for selection in respect of each decentralisation move in his Department outlined in the budget 2004 statement. [21058/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn December 1999 the Minister for Finance announced in his budget speech that the Government intended to proceed with a new, more radical programme of decentralisation, involving up to 10,000 civil and public servants. That intention was also signalled in An Agreed Programme for Government 2002-2007. Subsequent to his original announcement, the Minister for Finance and his Department had extensive consultations about the issue with interested parties, including other Departments, civil service staff unions and associations and the Strategic Management Initiative implementation group of Secretaries General. The Minister also received submissions, representations and inquiries from or on behalf of a large number of centres throughout the country seeking to be included in the new programme.
In proposing to the Government on 3 December 2003 the Departments, divisions of Departments and offices to be included in the decentralisation programme, the Minister for Finance had particular regard to their nature and core business and to the location of their customer bases as well as to the need to ensure a fit with the National Spatial Strategy. Other issues considered by the Minister and by the Government included the desirability of clustering a decentralised Department's units within a region, the scope for clustering of cross-departmental functions, staff retention and career opportunities and the ability of particular locations to absorb the numbers of new residents involved. Under the programme approved by the Government, the development co-operation directorate of the Department of Foreign Affairs will be transferred to Limerick. The Department is now working with the Office of Public Works in order to secure suitable premises in Limerick for the directorate.
