Decentralisation - Report of Meeting Held on Wednesday 28 June 2006
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Ref. BS053/06 3 July, 2006
DECENTRALISATION - REPORT OF MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY 28 JUNE 2006
Dear Branch Secretary,
I enclose for your information notes on the most recent meeting of the Decentralisation sub- committee of General Council.
Please bring these notes to the attention of members. As usual these notes will be posted on the Union’s web-site - www.pseu.ie - in the coming days.
For ease of reference, please note that the following issues were discussed :
1. Decentralisation Training Allowance
2. Dublin Transfer Arrangements
3. Period in Interim Location
4. Period of Notice for Location
5. Operation of 52 week period for promotions
6. Staff on CAF Debarred from Dublin Transfers
7. Up-date on Likely dates of moves and accommodation issues
8. Step by Step Guide on Filling Vacancies
9. Transfers within Dublin - Location of posts
10. AO/HEO Transfers
11. Non-release of staff by Revenue
12. Department of Environment
Yours sincerely,
B. Hannigan, Assistant General Secretary.
To : All Branch Secs in Civil Service; IAA; Sports Council; HSA; Ord. Survey; FAS REPORT OF MEETING OF THE DECENTRALISATION SUB-COMMITTEE
OF GENERAL COUNCIL HELD ON 28 JUNE 2006
PRESENT
Official Side : John O’Connell, Ciaran Connolly, Des O’Leary, Pat McBride, Jake Byrne, Gearoid O’Keeffe, Ciaran Liam Roche.
Staff Side : John Clinton (POA & Chair); J. Byrne (Sec); B. Hannigan (PSEU); Sean O Riordain (AHCPS), Rosaleen Glackin, Blair Horan (CPSU); L. O Donnell (IMPACT).
DECENTRALISATION TRAINING ALLOWANCE
It was noted that proposals in relation to this were to be discussed at a meeting of a sub-group appointed to deal with the issue. A meeting was to be arranged.
DUBLIN TRANSFER ARRANGEMENTS
The Official Side are looking at the question of Dublin transfers and problems which have arisen in the management of these. They are talking to Departments on the matter and expect to have a paper on the issue shortly.
PERIOD IN INTERIM LOCATION
PSEU drew attention to a resolution of its ADC to the effect that staff should not be obliged to spend longer than two years in the interim location prior to transfer. They drew attention to the implications for peoples’ other preferences if they were off the CAF. The Official Side indicated that the issue raised was being examined.
PERIOD OF NOTICE FOR LOCATION
PSEU referred to problems for staff because of uncertainty about the dates on which moves would take place. They drew attention to moves scheduled to happen in a number of months where there was still uncertainty about the date of the move. They said that staff needed to make personal arrangements for themselves and their families and could not do this. The Official Side undertook to raise this issue with Departments. OPERATION OF 52 WEEK PERIOD FOR PROMOTIONS
The meeting considered the position which should apply where Departments are to move in phases or propose to have advance parties. The Official Side said that in their view the issue was covered by the arrangements agreed in respect of the filling of posts in Departments in the context of decentralisation. It was accepted that the Official Side would need to discuss how the arrangements would apply in each particular case. They undertook to come back to the Staff Side on the issue.
STAFF ON CAF DEBARRED FROM DUBLIN TRANSFERS
It was agreed that discussions would continue on the issue raised previously by PSEU.
UP-DATE ON LIKELY DATES OF MOVES AND ACCOMMODATION
The Official Side reported that the Decentralisation Implementation Group (DIG) had had a number of meetings recently and had also met with the Minister for Finance. The DIG is looking at the position in relation to property and its was expected that the Official Side would be in a position to brief the Unions shortly on the issue.
The Official Side also stated that they were talking to the PAS to obtain more up-to-date information on current level of interest in the various locations.
The Staff Side asked if all Departments had concluded 2 to 10 trawls and the Official Side indicated that this was being done on an “as needs” basis.
The Staff Side also asked that the up-dated information include details in relation to 2 to 10 preferences and the Official Side indicated that they would try to include this detail in their up- date.
The Official Side undertook to supply details of situations where Departments proposed to send “advance parties” to locations.
The Official Side indicated that they were looking at the position of staff on contract who had applied/wished to apply for decentralisation moves.
STEP BY STEP GUIDE ON FILLING VACANCIES
The Official Side said they were in the process of finalising such a guide for Departments and a copy could be made available to the Unions.
TRANSFERS WITHIN DUBLIN - LOCATION OF POSTS
In response to an issue raised by PSEU the Official Side accepted that staff need to have maximum information about the location of posts to which they are being asked to transfer.
AO/HEO TRANSFERS
PSEU requested a response to its letter of 3 May about the inter-transferability of AOs/HEOs. In response to questions from the PSEU it was confirmed that there was no requirement on an AO transferring to a HEO position as part of the programme to be re-certified as a HEO (or vice- versa).
NON-RELEASE OF STAFF BY REVENUE
PSEU complained about the non-release of staffing Revenue IT. Staff concerned wish to participate in the programme and should be released. Some Departments are due to move shortly and the Union would be concerned that the persons concerned would be disadvantaged.
In response the Official Side indicated that the Union’s concerns were being discussed with Revenue Management.
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
PSEU raised concerns about the fact that the Department of the Environment and Local Government envisaged that all staff in the South East region would be regarded as part of a common pool for lateral transfers and promotion purposes
The Official Side undertook to talk to the Department on the issue and to respond to the Union.
NEXT MEETING
It was agreed that this would take place on Wednesday 26 July 2006.
B. Hannigan, Assistant General Secretary
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