Local office closures to reduce Agriculture Department jobs by 400

By Ray Ryan

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

PLANS are going ahead to reduce the number of local offices being used by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from 57 to 16.

This will result in a reduction of 400 in staff. The reorganisation when fully implemented will deliver annual savings of €30 million, mainly in staff costs.

District veterinary, forestry and agricultural environment and structures support services will be provided from the 16 enhanced offices in the future.

The first phase of the reorganisation will involve the enhancement of four regional offices at Drumshanbo, Navan, Enniscorthy and Waterford.

Offices in Sligo, Longford, Drogheda, Carlow, Kilkenny, Dundalk, Wicklow and Dungarvan will be consequently closed.

Fermoy has been approved as the location for the Cork regional office, but this will not be officially announced until the Office of Public Works has concluded price negotiations with the landlord.

Deputy Sean Sherlock said the relocation of the Department’s Cork Regional Centre to Fermoy was a welcome endorsement of the town.

"Considering its central location, and bearing in mind the Moorepark facility that already exists in the town, Fermoy offers a perfect setting for a regional centre.

"This is a good news story for the town and it is my hope that in choosing Fermoy, the Department of Agriculture will highlight the advantages of locating operations in the region," he said.

Athenry has been approved as the location for the Galway Regional Office, while accommodation will be shared with Teagasc in Naas, Roscommon, Raphoe, Enniscorthy and Tralee.

A new premises is being sought in Naas and this will replace up to four exiting locations (two in Naas, and one each in Tallaght and Portlaoise).

Once the arrangements are finalised in respect of Fermoy, Athenry and Naas, it is intended that these three locations, together with Tralee, will form phase two of the implementation plan.

Minister Brendan Smith told Deputy Sherlock in a written reply to a Dáil question that improvements in business processes, information technology and communications will allow the department to provide a quality service to its clients from the 16 enhanced offices.

In respect of accommodation at most of the 16 centres, existing facilities are satisfactory. At some centres remedial works will be required.

The department has arranged with the Office of Public Works to have these assessed and will draw up a timetable for the works to be completed.

Minister Smith said the department has also been examining the scope for shared services and co-location with Teagasc. A number of locations have been identified.

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Tuesday, November 03, 2009