Decentralisation plan faces union criticism

THE Government’s failure to consult with unions before announcing its controversial decentralisation plan will come in for heavy criticism today as public servants from all Government departments gather in Tralee, Co Kerry.

As delegates of the 9,000-strong Public Service Executive Union (PSEU) convene for their annual conference today and tomorrow, decentralisation will dominate the proceedings with the majority of motions expressing anger and concern at decentralisation.

The plan to relocate 10,000 civil and public servants to more than 50 locations around the country was a surprise announcement in December's Budget.

However, the ambitious plan immediately angered most civil and public service unions who were not consulted in advance.

Although the PSEU which has 3,000 members already decentralised across the country is officially adopting a neutral approach to decentralisation, many members are concerned at the way in which the plan is being implemented.

Numerous motions to be put to this week's conference accuse the Government of treating civil servants as political pawns in order to gain an advantage in local elections.

One of several motions on the politicisation of decentralisation reads:

"Conference is further concerned the statements of certain ministers would suggest they see the process as one of party political advantage, irrespective on the effects on the machinery of Government or the lives of the staff concerned."

Others call for the PSEU to investigate whether any Government move to make promotions contingent on staff agreeing to decentralise is a form of discrimination on the grounds of family and marital status.

A union paper on decentralisation, to be presented to conference today, is also critical of the Government's failure to carry out any survey on those willing to relocate before continuing with the plan.

The report also points out that long before last year's budget announcement, a PSEU request to the Department of Finance asking that the numbers interested in moving be surveyed, was turned down.

"When this was refused by the Department of Finance we grew concerned that the process of supposed consultation in which we had been engaged was no more than a smokescreen to enable the Government to declare that the unions had been consulted ... when clearly this was not the reality of the situation," the report continues.