The Minister for Finance Brian Cowen opened the new decentralised office for the Revenue Commissioners in Athy today.

Trade union Siptu today called on the Government to end its controversial decentralisation plans for semi-state bodies.

The Government has said it accepts a Labour Court recommendation preventing training agency FAS from making decentralising staff a condition of promotion.

Fine Gael says the Government needs to take a long, hard look at its decentralisation plan in light of a Labour Court ruling that significantly hamper the project.

The Government's decentralisation plans have suffered a major setback following a Labour Court ruling that FÁS cannot award promotions on the basis that staff move to its new headquarters outside Dublin.

The Government originally intended to have its decentralisation plan completed by today.

The Junior Minister overseeing decentralisation has defended the progress made in implementing the programme to date.

The IMPACT trade union is gathering today to discuss the possibility of withdrawing its support for the decentralisation process.

The IMPACT trade union has threatened to end its cooperation with the Government's decentralisation programme.

FAS workers who are members of SIPTU have accepted the proposals aimed at resolving the decentralisation row at the state training agency.

FÁS workers in Dublin are due to vote today on proposals aimed at ending their dispute over decentralisation.

The Department of Finance says it does not yet know the full cost of decentralisation, but it should eventually save the taxpayer money.

The end of industrial action at FÁS over decentralisation could be in sight, it emerged today.

SIPTU representatives and FÁS management have resumed talks at the Labour Relations Commission in an effort to resolve the ongoing dispute about decentralisation at the jobs agency.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is expected to face tough questions on decentralisation when he attends the annual conference of the IMPACT trade union in Killarney today.

The Tánaiste has hinted that the Government might be about to row back on plans to move certain staff from semi-state bodies to locations around the country under the decentralisation programme.

SIPTU has warned it will not support any new national pay deal unless the decentralisation dispute at state agencies is resolved.

Workers at FAS head offices in Dublin are protesting today outside the offices of the minister overseeing the decentralisation scheme.

Workers at FÁS head offices in Dublin are due to march today on the offices of the minister overseeing the decentralisation scheme.

Staff at FÁS head offices in Dublin are holding a one-day strike today as part of their on-going campaign of opposition to the decentralisation scheme.

One of the biggest public sector unions is calling for the timetable and scope of the Government's decentralisation plans to be revisited.

Decentralisation plans to transfer almost 100 probation officers from Dublin to Navan have been abandoned.

FÁS staff have mounted another work-to-rule protest this morning as part of an ongoing campaign against the Government's decentralisation plans.

Decentralisation of Government staff and departments is essential to ease population and traffic pressures in Dublin, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Dáil today.

The IMPACT trade union has formally called on the Government to review its decentralisation plans.

FAS workers in Dublin are planning to down tools for a number of hours this morning to protest against the decentralisation of their jobs.

Hundreds of FAS workers have begun a work-stoppage this morning, after talks between management and SIPTU broke down at the Labour Relations Commission last night.

SIPTU members working for FÁS are due to begin voting this evening on whether to mount strike action over the decentralisation of their jobs.

The Government's decentralisation plans are reportedly way behind target, with just a handful of civil servants expected to have moved to the country by the December 2006 deadline.

Unions representing civil and public servants are due to meet government officials today to discuss their opposition to plans to limit future promotions to staff involved in the decentralisation programme.

One year after the Government’s decentralisation programme was announced, plans for the first batch of relocations were revealed.

Ireland’s biggest decentralisation programme will cost over €900m to relocate 10,000 civil servants around the country.

The Government is expected to reveal details of the decentralisation of a number of departments and state agencies away from Dublin before this year’s Budget in December.

Almost 9,000 civil and public servants have applied to be relocated under the Government's decentralisation plans, according to figures released by the Department of Finance today.

Junior Minister Tom Parlon has claimed that a raft of civil servants applied for new jobs under the decentralisation programme ahead of the latest deadline imposed by the Government.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has insisted that the Government’s contentious decentralisation programme will be implemented as planned.

The Public Service Executive Union has expressed fears that its members may be forced to move out of Dublin under the Government’s decentralisation plan.

Junior Minister Tom Parlon has rejected calls for a review of the Government’s decentralisation plans.

The exodus of civil servants from the capital is to begin over the next few weeks, Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh announced today.

Defence Minister Michael Smith has insisted that the Government’s decentralisation plan will go ahead with or without the support of the opposition.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has rejected claims of widespread opposition to decentralisation within the civil service, according to reports this morning.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has defended the Government’s decentralisation plans and has vowed that proposals to move 10,000 civil servants out of Dublin will be implemented.

Labour Party TD Eamonn Gilmore has claimed that the Government’s decentralisation plan is in chaos.

The Tánaiste, Mary Harney, has insisted that her department's move to Carlow will go ahead, despite opposition from staff.