The quality of the State's services to the public will not suffer as a result of the Government's programme to decentralise 10,000 civil and public servants, according to the second report of the Decentralisation Implementation Group.
The group, headed by Mr Phil Flynn, says too many people are worrying about negative possibilities rather than concentrating on the positive.
"There is a danger that the identification of problems and the development of strategies to address these people may give a false impression," according to the report.
"By its very nature, this type of process tends to accentuate the negative. There has been concern that decentralisation would damage the operation of the Civil Service. The objective is to ensure that the delivery of 'joined-up government' does not suffer as a result of decentralisation. We are convinced that this objective can be achieved."
Inter-departmental communications will be costlier after decentralisation as some officials will have to travel greater distances, the report says. However, the difficulties could be minimised by having "fewer but more focused meetings, scheduled in advance, which would result in sharper engagement".
It adds: "It has been suggested that decentralisation will seriously reduce departments' ability to support ministers in discharging their Oireachtas duties."
However, the Flynn group believes that officials should still be able to serve the needs of ministers and the Oireachtas without "particular problems", apart "from the additional time and costs involved in travel".
The Decentralisation Implementation Group was established by the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, to develop plans to govern the transfer of offices and staff by the end of 2006.
Recommending a phased transfer, it says: "A big-bang approach with all organisations moving at the same time is neither feasible nor desirable." Implying some limited delay in the original Government timetable, it says smaller office buildings could be ready in about two years.
Though 22 sites have almost been acquired, the report cautions that larger buildings needed in some locations "may not be ready for about three years".
The report recommends outside experts should be drafted in to look into why some officials at middle and upper ranks have been so reluctant to transfer. Talks with unions will be necessary to manage the deployment of transferred staff, to protect existing promotion structures and to cope with the needs of staff staying in Dublin.
"Decentralisation will give rise to challenges and difficulties. This does not mean that the difficulties cannot be overcome," it says.
Although the media have been critical of the plan, Mr Flynn's group says the organisations affected have "moved beyond that" and are seriously investigating the challenges.
"We are particularly pleased that some organisations are starting to identify the potential upsides that can be secured from decentralisation in terms of improved business processes and service delivery."
However, European Union duties will cause some difficulties.
"Additional costs and time will undoubtedly arise in travelling to Brussels and other locations.
"New ways of servicing meetings in Brussels will need to be explored. In some cases, it may be possible to locate an additional officer or officers at the Permanent Representation in Brussels so as to reduce the presence needed from Dublin.
"There are, however, limitations to this approach given the need for staff with specialised knowledge to attend negotiations and to act upon the outcomes. It will not be a solution in all cases."
Dismissing fears that departments will lose "corporate knowledge", the report remarks: "It can also be argued that in some cases a loss of corporate memory can act as a catalyst for positive change by freeing an organisation from an over-reliance on precedent".
