MINISTER FOR Social Protection Éamon Ó Cuív has said the Cabinet intends to review plans to move over 10,000 staff to decentralised locations. So far, 3,160 staff have been transferred to various decentralised Government departments across the country.
Speaking at the opening of the new Department of Social Protection offices in Buncrana, Co Donegal, yesterday, the Minister said the plan will be reviewed next year. “We will review the situation when we reach the 4,000 number, which should be next year. I am very happy with how the process has gone. Of course, the plan has had its critics and I think that criticism has been harsh at times.
“It has been a long process, but we plan to review it again, as I have already said, when we reach 4,000 employees,” Mr Ó Cuív said.
Under the plan, announced by then minister for finance Charlie McCreevy in 2003, a total of 10,992 civil servants were to be moved to 53 locations across 25 counties before the end of 2007. The plan included the decentralisation of complete departments.
Despite many claiming the plan has been a failure, Mr Ó Cuív said yesterday it was successful. He also said the process had no effect on what he called the “corporate memory” of his own department.
He said he believed anyone calling an office looking for services or support from whatever part of the country still received the highest level of treatment. He said people should remember that for every job created in the regions, another two jobs were created from spin-off industries.
“I am continually hearing about the ‘corporate memory’ and how it has been affected by the decentralisation plan. I am confident that the level of service people are being given when they ring these offices in second to none.
“It does not matter if a person is calling with a query from Dublin and the contact office is in Donegal. The level of help and commitment from staff is still of the highest standard,” he said.
A total of 99 staff have been transferred to offices on the Inishowen peninsula.
The new building will accommodate four different scheme areas including the local social welfare office, client eligibility services, maternity benefit and the social welfare inspectorate. “I want to pay tribute to all staff whose commitment and dedication saw the transfer of operations to this building with the minimum disruption to the department’s customers.
“This is a bright day for Buncrana and for Donegal. For those staff who come from the area, I am delighted that they now have the chance of a very bright future [in] the place they area from.
“And for the staff who have come to live and work in Buncrana, I hope they settle in and make very happy lives for themselves,” he added.