Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 November 2013
342. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to redeploy civil servants from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine based at the district veterinary office, Drumshanbo, County Leitrim, to alternative duties working for other Departments based in the same building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47723/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing the successful restructuring of my Department’s local office network, which reduced the number of local offices from 58 to 16, my Department decided that significant further savings could be achieved by centralising the administrative support to its local offices in one or two ‘back office’ locations.
The decision to centralise the administrative support is based on a review by my Department of the business processes and procedures and, in particular, the administrative support requirements, in its 16 Local Offices. This review concluded that, arising from the substantial reduction in disease levels and the changes introduced earlier this year in relation to the implementation of controls in the context of the TB eradication programme, the number of administrative staff required in the local offices would be significantly reduced and that further significant efficiencies in terms of the number of administrative staff required would accrue from the centralisation of administrative support in one or more centralised office(s). I have accepted this recommendation and I have decided that the centralised offices will be based in Cavan and Portlaoise.
The position in relation to Drumshanbo is that some administrative staff are currently engaged in work for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade while the remainder continue to provide the administrative function from that office for my Department. Should the opportunity arise to redeploy administrative staff from the Drumshanbo office then this will be considered. As with other local offices where redeployment has taken place, a full frontline service will be maintained and the service provided to farmers will not diminish in any way.
