No, minister: civil servants' fury at 'three year' plan

THOUSANDS of top civil servants are threatening strike action and vowing to oppose Government plans to complete decentralisation within three years.

As Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the Minister responsible for decentralisation, Tom Parlon, defended the Government's plan yesterday, the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants (AHCPS) accused them of using the civil service as a political pawn.

Angered by comments from Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy that a failure to decentralise within three years would be a catastrophe for the Government's election prospects, AHCPS general secretary Sean O'Riordan said the public service was not the Government's property.