Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 February 2006
435 Mr. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number who have moved directly with their job in respect of assignments made within his Department to decentralised posts; the number who are new recruits recruited within the past 2 years; the number who have been appointed on promotion; and the additional personal costs to be associated with the move. [8236/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder my Department's decentralisation programme, 22 officers have moved directly with their jobs. We have recruited eight new members of staff and, to date, nine officers have been promoted to decentralising posts.
We have already made 159 assignments to decentralising posts and I anticipate that in the coming year, additional progress will be made as the programme gathers momentum. The Garda central vetting unit moved to Thurles last November and as other sections in the Garda area complete their preparations, around 100 posts will have relocated to Thurles by the end of this year. In addition, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner is scheduled to move its operations to Portarlington by the autumn and the new headquarters for the Irish Prison Service in Longford will be ready for occupation in early 2007. These two moves involve the relocation of more than 180 posts.
Contrary to recent press reports, the figures for my Department show that for the decentralising posts we have a 14% uptake by people already in the justice and equality area, not the 5.3% reported. Transfers under the decentralisation programme are voluntary and, accordingly, Departments are not liable for any personal costs associated with these moves.
