Govt to ditch decentralisation plans say reports

A plan to move 10,000 civil servants out of Dublin could be abandoned by the Government because of fears of a political backlash ahead of the next election. According to reports this morning, the Government has been overwhelmed by applications from towns and villages who want to be home to the officials.

The plan to move 10,000 civil servants out of the capital was unveiled by the Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy, in his 1999 budget, but since then nothing has happened. According to the Irish Times, the plan for a mass exodus out of Dublin may now be abandoned completely. Instead, it is understood the Government is considering a drip-feed of small re-location announcements, with disappointed locations being told they have not been rejected, but a decision on their request has been postponed. Apparently ministers fear a backlash from voters if key constituencies do not get Government departments, and the local windfall that goes with them. According to this morning’s reports, the amount of lobbying on this issue has been unprecedented, with 100 towns and villages declaring an interest and over 80 TDs, including eight cabinet ministers, making representations.