DECENTRALISATION:ALMOST 40 regional towns are to lose out on the transfer of more than 5,000 jobs from Dublin following the decision to suspend the Government's decentralisation programme for at least two years.
The Government has already spent more than €250 million on lands and properties as part of its plan to relocate more than 11,000 public and civil servants out of Dublin.
The plan was introduced by former finance minister Charlie McCreevy in the 2004 budget.
The decision to suspend the programme pending a review in 2011 will mean some 5,140 jobs will not be relocated to 37 towns around the State.
However, it also leaves several hundred staff who relocated early unsure as to whether their colleagues will eventually follow, or if they will be recalled to Dublin.
Most of the offices which have been decentralised are from Government departments. State agencies have been reluctant to move and some, including national employment agency Fás, have fought long industrial relations battles against attempts to force through decentralisation.
This stance was vindicated earlier this year in a Labour Court ruling in favour of Fás. This effectively prohibited State agencies from making promotions conditional on staff being prepared to move out of Dublin.
The Government appears to have accepted defeat with the majority of State agencies due to be decentralised now on the suspension list.
However, with State agencies making up some of the largest numbers of planned decentralised jobs, this means that several towns will lose out large number of new positions and residents. For instance, Birr, Co Offaly, will not now have the 378 Fás positions it expected.
The biggest single loss is in Kildare town where the decision not to relocate the Revenue Commissioners will cost 380 posts. The county itself is taking quite a hit with another 180 planned Revenue Commissioner jobs in Athy also suspended, and 300 Health Service Executive (HSE) positions in Naas not going ahead.
In Cork, Mitchelstown will no longer get 200 CIÉ Group staff; Mallow will not be receiving 163 proposed Fáilte Ireland jobs. Cork city will lose out on 80 National Consumer Agency positions; and in Youghal 200 jobs in the Public Appointments Service and the Valuation Office will not now be transferred. Shannon is losing Enterprise Ireland with 226 positions and the Irish Aviation Authority with 102 jobs.
Some of the larger Government departments not now moving are the Department of Social and Family Affairs, which will not be sending 258 workers to Donegal, 90 workers to Carrick-on-Shannon or 85 workers to Carrickmacross; the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, which will not now be moving 244 staff to Cavan; and the Department of Environment which will not be bringing 124 posts to New Ross, Co Wexford.
The loss of these agencies and departments comes as a huge disappointment to towns which had seen decentralisation as an opportunity for regeneration both socially and economically.
The suspension of plans could also cause problems for staff who have already relocated in anticipation of the rest of their offices following.
There are several hundred workers in 11 "advance parties" in the 37 towns who are now in limbo, not yet knowing if colleagues will eventually join them, or if they will be recalled to Dublin and face the prospect of moving house and relocating their families once again.
