I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 106 together.
In the budget 2004 announcement on decentralisation, it was provided that the Revenue Commissioners would relocate staff to four locations, Athy, Kilrush, Listowel and Newcastle West. It was also announced that a future decision on the location of Revenue's ICT would be made, and this was subsequently identified as Kildare town.
Revenue's moves to Kilrush, Listowel and Newcastle West are included in first phase moves. The outline plan for these moves has been submitted to the decentralisation implementation group. I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that significant progress is being made in the planning and organising of these moves.
The budget 2004 announcement recognised the importance of ICT systems in terms of service delivery and the need for particular care in managing the relocation of the services, and associated jobs, outside Dublin. The decentralisation implementation group in its report of 19 November 2004 recommended that individual implementation plans should be submitted to it after consultation with the Centre for Management and Organisation Development, CMOD, of my Department. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the outline implementation plan referred to is a draft plan for the decentralisation of ICT staff to Kildare submitted to the CMOD. The consultation between CMOD and the Revenue Commissioners is ongoing in relation to developing a final outline implementation plan.
The final outline plan will address the level of skills and experience and detail the consequences in terms of possible costs and staff replacement-training. It is quite appropriate and reasonable in my view in any such planning exercise to identify the risks and cost and to indicate the need to develop appropriate mitigation strategies. The decentralisation implementation group will consider Revenue's final outline implementation plan and any issues arising when it is finalised.