Ciarán Cuffe
Ceist:175 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the plans which exist in relation to decentralisation within his Department. [23398/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 6 October 2004
Ceisteanna (73)
Freagraí scríofa
Under the programme of decentralisation announced by the Minister for Finance in budget 2003, all headquarters sections of my Department currently located in Dublin, some 1,200 posts, are to relocate to the following towns: Drogheda, Buncrana, Donegal, Carrick-on-Shannon, Carrickmacross and Sligo.
In addition, the Combat Poverty Agency and Comhairle, agencies under the aegis of my Department, will relocate to Monaghan and Drogheda respectively.
A detailed implementation plan covering all aspects of the decentralisation process was submitted to the decentralisation implementation group in June. This plan sets out the proposed sequence of each relocation, staff placement and training plans, the estimated resources required to complete the project, the risks associated with the project and the contingency plans to deal with those risks.
The Office of Public Works is in the process of securing suitable accommodation for the programme.
Staff applications to relocate under the programme are being handled centrally through the central applications facility. The facility closed for priority application on 7 September but will remain open for further applications for the duration of the programme.
The departmental implementation plan will be monitored closely and further developed when more information on accommodation and central applications facility applicants is available.
Progress on the plan will continue to be reported on a regular basis to the implementation committee, which reports in turn to the special Cabinet sub-committee which is overseeing the decentralisation programme as a whole.