18% of staff at Taoiseach's department opt for relocation

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said 18 per cent of his department's staff had opted to relocate outside Dublin.

It showed that the underlying decision to initiate a comprehensive decentralisation programme was the correct one. "Deputies will be aware that there are no proposals to decentralise my department or any of the bodies under its aegis," he added.

Mr Ahern said 39 staff currently serving in the department had applied to relocate under the decentralisation programme.

It seemed that people applied to be near home or to go back to their roots. "Their motivation usually relates to such concerns rather than to the individual offices. People want to get away from Dublin and get back home."

Replying to Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, Mr Ahern said arrangements were in place to ensure that the decentralisation of the staff did not impact negatively on the quality of the services provided by the department.

He said some staff had applied to go to Ordnance Survey Ireland in Dungarvan; the National Standards Authority of Ireland in Arklow; the Probation and Welfare Service, Navan; the National Roads Authority in Ballinasloe; the National Education and Welfare Board, Portarlington; Development Co-operation Ireland in Limerick; Sustainable Energy Ireland, Dundalk; Garda headquarters in Thurles; Area Development Management in Clifden; the valuation office in Youghal and the prison service in Longford.