[Article] High-level civil servants opposed to decentralisation

Victor

While "the programme could impact on up to 60,000 people" is a bit of an exaggeration (30,000 is a more likely figure), I'm wondering are lots of people who sit in €500,000+ homes in Dublin marginally worried that suddenly they will all be selling en-masse, with a corresponding hit on the property market? Which in turn hits the Dublin construction market?

Of note half of the countries design and construction professionals are based in Dublin, effectively subsidised by central government. They will now find themselves at a cost disadvantage to provincial counter-parts.

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/topstories/2594704?view=Eircomnet

High-level civil servants opposed to decentralisation
From:ireland.com
Monday, 23rd February, 2004

The Government faces concerted opposition to its decentralisation programme by senior civil and public servants.

Motions tabled for a union conference on the issue next week indicate widespread concern about the programme among staff in management grades.

The special delegate conference was called by the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants (AHCPS), which has already highlighted concerns about the Government's plans. However, the 65 conference motions, to be published on the union's website today, provide the first comprehensive indication of the depth of feeling among senior staff.

One motion, from the union's agriculture and food branch, "objects strongly to the unplanned and blunt" nature of the programme.

Another, from the justice, equality and law reform branch, condemns the "absence of strategic planning" involved in the initiative, announced on budget day. It proposes to transfer more than 10,000 civil and public servants from Dublin to 53 decentralised offices within three years.

Concerns about the career prospects of civil servants remaining in Dublin as well as the lack of consultation with unions are also expressed in many motions. Some claim the independence of the Civil Service is under threat, and others demand compensation for relocating.

Mr Seán Ó Riordáin, the association's general secretary, said concerns were being expressed under two key headings. One related to the potential impact on staff, and the other to the repercussions for effective service delivery. All of the indications suggested there would be a great shortage of staff willing to move to the selected locations.

He called on the Government to slow down the process, and adopt a more "rational approach" in consultation with staff.

A motion tabled by the AHCPS executive committee describes the Government's programme as "the most fundamental change in civil and public administration since the foundation of the State".

Without allowing for the reassignment of staff wishing to remain in Dublin, it says the programme could impact on up to 60,000 people, "i.e. staff and their immediate families".

The motion deplores the Government's failure to carry out a survey to establish the level of interest among staff in decentralisation before it chose the 53 locations. It also calls on the Government to extend the timeframe for the programme to 10 to 15 years, and to reconsider aspects which would "undermine administrative efficiency".

Concerns about the Government's programme have also been expressed by a group of professional bodies.

In a joint submission to the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, they questioned the dispersal of policy-making functions of key government departments to locations around the country.

The submission was made by the Institute of Engineers of Ireland, the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, the Irish Planning Institute, the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Society of Chartered Surveyors.

It said that while the decentralisation of significant numbers of operational staff was to be welcomed, "it is essential that senior policy-making staff and Government Ministers remain in close touch in the country's capital".

Mr Paddy Purcell, director general of the Institute of Engineers , said there were also implications for customer service.

He said there were many national bodies and State agencies located in Dublin which needed to communicate with the policy-making divisions of departments on an "interactive, frequent and face-to-face basis".