Top civil servants call for decentralisation advice service

TOP civil servants, responsible for implementing the Government’s decentralisation plan, yesterday called for an advice service for families affected.

At their annual conference in Dublin yesterday, members of the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants (AHCPS) also expressed renewed concern that plans to decentralise 10,000 civil servants to 53 locations will seriously disrupt services to the public.

Some 30 motions passed by members yesterday addressed decentralisation and called on the union to address numerous areas of concern with the Government. While some motions dealt with the disruption decentralisation will cause numerous other issues such as paid leave during relocations and the question of promotions were also raised. However, recent Government proposals, shying away from the previous policy of linking promotion prospects directly to decentralisation, have subdued union anger.