asked the Minister for the Public Service the approximate date on which it is expected that the transfer of civil servants in the Department of Social Welfare will take place to Sligo and Letterkenny.

: The Government's decentralisation plans for the civil service were announced in the Dáil on 22 October. Since staff interests have to be consulted over the moves and arrangements made to provide office accommodation and infrastructural services, it is not possible at this stage to indicate a likely date for any of the proposed transfers. The Government are, however, giving priority to their decentralisation proposals and aim to have the programme advanced as rapidly as possible in Sligo, Letterkenny and elsewhere.