Ahern: decentralisation plan is off to a good start

THE Taoiseach yesterday stood by the Government’s roll-out of decentralisation, while conceding that it will take longer than originally thought.

Speaking in Dublin yesterday, Bertie Ahern accepted that three quarters of the 10,500 jobs earmarked for relocation outside the capital have not yet been prioritised. But he went on to say that the 3,500 jobs selected in the first two phases of the programme represented a good start.

“We have to start and within a year we have 25% signed up,” he said.