Madam, - If Irish society, through its public representatives, is serious about decentralisation then the route to follow is to reform and strengthen our local and regional tiers of governance, enabling them to undertake and implement many of the functions which have been inappropriately taken over by central government since the foundation of the State.
Strong local and regional government is the hallmark of leading EU member-states. The principle of subsidiarity should apply in all countries, large and small alike. Apart from benefits for democracy, strong local and regional governance will ensure employment creation in the regions and counties.
The relocation of government work is not decentralisation. There is abundant evidence to show that in relocating such work there is a need to pay careful attention to four interrelated issues:
- How can the relocation exercise be undertaken so as to protect and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the operation which is to be relocated?
- How will such a relocation affect the career development of the people involved and, ultimately, the knowledge, expertise and capacity of the wider public service?
- Does the reception area have the capacity to meet the work and socio- economic needs of those being relocated and their families in the long as well as in the short term?
- Is there the capacity or the potential for the development of synergies between the specialist functions of the designated town and the nature of the activity being relocated?
There exists a well established scientific methodology through which to approach these questions. But it remains unclear at this stage what, if any, expertise was called upon to assist the Government in this matter to date.
Finally, the Taoiseach has said that both he and his government is committed to the implementation of the National Spatial Strategy.
While the Government has stated that the proposed relocations are consistent with the recommendations of the NSS, there is an onus on the Government to demonstrate clearly how this could be so. - Yours, etc.,
MICHAEL J. BANNON, Professor Emeritus, University College Dublin.
Madam, - Since a high proportion of civil servants have rural origins, should Mr McCreevy's budget proposal be considered more as repatriation, than decentralisation?
But what of the Dublin born children of these non-cityzens, will they be granted leave to remain in the capital because of their cityzenship birthright. Perhaps Mr Michael McDowell could clarify this. - Yours, etc.,
LAURA BAMBRICK, Graduate Memorial Building, Trinity College, Dublin 2.
Madam - Some of us who read of Mr Bruton's objections to decentralisation will recall his decree, when Taoiseach, that the European Commission's Food and Veterinary Office, allocated to Dublin as part of a Brussels decision on the decentralisation of Commission agencies, should be located in an isolated part of his own constituency, up to two hours drive from the city centre.
No discussion was permitted and no objection was considered. All arguments were swept aside, including those that the decision would deprive staff and their families, coming from all 15 member states, of access to the linguistic, educational, social and cultural contacts which a capital city could, or could be expected to, provide.
A comparison of staff turnover rates in the Food and Veterinary Office with those in other Commission institutions might be interesting. - Yours etc,
GARY HOBAN, The Elms, Mount Merrion Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin.