Deputies may come unstuck in jobs spin

Plans for decentralisation may backfire writes Political Reporter Michael O’Farrell.

IMMEDIATELY after the surprise announcement of decentralisation in Charlie McCreevy’s Budget speech, the Opposition smelled blood.

The Government was accused of using decentralisation as a Trojan horse to mask a tight Budget which had brought another 60,000 people into the top tax rate. But the actions of many Government deputies - who sprang from their Oireachtas seats with a sense of urgency rarely seen - told another story.

With Mr McCreevy still on his feet giving his Budget speech, deputies scrambled to get on the local airwaves to pronounce the good news and claim their share of the credit for the largest civil service jobs bonanza ever in advance of June’s local elections.

Laois/Offaly’s PD darling Tom Parlon personified that charge more than anyone. First off the blocks in an extraordinary dash to claim credit for local jobs, Mr Parlon had leaflets entitled Parlon Delivers, distributed in his constituency before the sun had settled on Budget day.

Of course the Government denied the sudden announcement to relocate 10,300 civil and public servants to 53 locations in 25 counties was an election stunt.

“I believe that over time decentralisation will lead to a radical change of culture in terms of policy formation in this country,” said Mr McCreevy in calm, assuring tones.

But two days later, referring to Tom Parlon’s speed off the mark, Mr McCreevy was no longer shying away from the electoral impact decentralisation could have in forthcoming elections. “I say the best of luck to him, if all the deputies in the country were up as early in the morning as Deputy Parlon, then Fianna Fáil would win 98 seats in every general election,” he said.

Crucially though, the Government never consulted with those who actually run Government departments and state agencies to see how such a landmark policy would be received and how it should actually be implemented.

Signs that all is not well with decentralisation emerged last week as Government figures revealed that just 20% of those required to move have so far volunteered.

As reported by the Irish Examiner just 19 civil servants have volunteered in the Department of Transport which has to relocate 460 staff from Dublin. The Department of Enterprise needs over 1,000 to relocate and to date has just 229 willing to move.

Such facts do nothing to quell the rising tide of discontent that has been steadily growing among public servants who now see themselves portrayed by the Government as nothing more than pawns in a political game.

The three-year deadline for decentralisation - due just as the next General Election is expected - does nothing to quell that disquiet especially since civil servants believe 15 years would be a realistic timeframe.

That figure is contained in the first comprehensive study into the impact of decentralisation - carried out by the managers and senior civil servants responsible for running Government departments.

The report of the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants (AHCPS), published yesterday at a special conference in Dublin, pulls no punches.

According to the report it will be impossible for the Government to obtain the required numbers and thousands of extra staff will have to be hired resulting in a massive brain drain which will take years to repair.

Effectively those who run the public service believe decentralisation will result in a poorer, more expensive and less efficient service to the public.

Few at yesterday’s conference were against the principle of decentralisation per se - just the manner of its speedy and enforced implementation and the overt politicisation of the process.

AHCPS general secretary Sean O’Riordan said the union recognised the great advantage that a wise decentralisation would bring. However, he warned against the current approach.

“Our hope that decentralisation might be approached on a rational public interest, rather than what is universally perceived as a political basis has not materialised.

“The secretive manner in which this decision was taken has sown the seeds of the difficulties that the programme now faces,” he said.

Yesterday’s comments by Charlie McCreevy were seen by delegates to imply that the political implications of decentralisation were more important than the service implications.

“The next General Election will be in summer 2007 and we have to be a long way down the road in having decentralisation in place,” said Mr McCreevy. “I think it is in everyone’s personal interest - not just mine - to have this plan well up and running to prevent a hanging on General Election day.”

Mr O’Riordan responded by saying no Government or political party owned the civil service. “The Minister for Finance has said the deadline for this is the General Election. We believe the deadline should be determined by what’s in the public interest and not by party politicalimperatives,” he said.

Gerry Kirk, a principal officer with the Revenue Commissioners also seized on Mr McCreevy’s comments.

“It’s not a catastrophe for Government policy or for service delivery. It’s a catastrophe for Fianna Fail and the PDs at the polls - this is what it’s all about and he said it himself.

“It shouldn’t be about that. It should be about delivering quality service. We are very supportive of the idea of decentralisation but not in this timeframe,” he said.

Meanwhile the Government’s Decentralisation Implementation Group is said - by the Government - to be making good progress and will present a full plan to the Cabinet by the end of this month.

At that point expect another undignified rush as Government TDs once again vie to claim credit and reassure their constituencies that all is going well with those promised jobs.

Anyone willing to discount the possibility of a second reaffirming Government progress report round about the middle of May?