RELOCATION SCHEME:THE TRANSFER of Government departments and agencies to more than 20 locations will be affected if Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan jettisons the decentralisation project in his budget speech today.
There were strong indications yesterday that Mr Lenihan intends to call a halt to the remaining parts of the project.
The scheme was announced by then minister for finance Charlie McCreevy in December 2003. It proposed the transfer of 10,300 posts to 53 locations.
In the report from the Decentralisation Implementation Group, published in July last year, it was disclosed that the programme had increased to 59 locations involving 10,900 public servants. By the summer of last year, some 20 departments and agencies, and 1,000 employees, had moved.
However, following the rapid deterioration in public finances this year, the Government announced in July that it was reviewing the entire programme.
It now looks likely that Mr Lenihan will announce that the Government will not proceed with locations for which sites have not been acquired.
Most of the more than 20 offices that have already been decentralised are central Government departments. There has been slower progress from State agencies.
Among the projects which may be affected by an announcement are: Cavan town, a new location for the Department of Communications Energy and Natural Resources; Claremorris, new OPW offices; Thurles, An Garda Síochána; Tipperary town, the Department of Justice; Edenderry, higher and further education bodies; Dungarvan, Ordnance Survey Ireland and Enniscorthy, An Bord Bia.
Progress on the programme had increased in the run-up to July's announcement of a review. In late 2007 and in early 2008 the OPW announced a number of contract awards. These included: the new Department of Defence HQ in Newbridge, Co Kildare; the announcement of a preferred tenderer for the new land registry offices in Roscommon town and an acceptance of a tender for new Social and Family Affairs offices in Buncrana, Co Donegal.
In April this year planning applications were lodged for the largest building project under the programme. Macquarie Partnership is building offices for the Departments of Agriculture in Portlaoise, Education in Mullingar and Enterprise and Employment in Carlow.
