Fine Gael vows to reverse decentralisation if necessary

FINE Gael yesterday committed itself to significantly slashing the Government's ambitious decentralisation programme if necessary.

Party leader, Enda Kenny, pledged that a FG-led government would carry out an audit of the plan to transfer more than 10,000 public servants from Dublin to 53 locations around the country.

He described the current situation as a "shambles" yesterday.

He also made it clear that if the numbers did not stack up for new locations, he would take the hard decision of reversing the policy for some locations.

"Where the numbers and skills measure up, you go ahead. When it is not going to happen, there needs to be some honesty and straightforwardness," he said, in a clear indication that his party would seek alternative locations or withdraw that part of the programme altogether.

He also said that Fine Gael was opposed to any ministerial offices or senior civil services being moved out of Dublin.

Citing reasons of good governance, he said if it was allowed go ahead it "would destroy the corporate memory of the department and you destroy efficiency."

This new direction may prove high risk for Fine Gael as Government-side TDs will inevitably challenge the party to name the locations it will drop and to outline how many civil servants would move under its revised plans.

The FG leader also hinted it was coming close to 'make your mind up time' for the party's high-profile MEPs. While saying he had spoken to none of his party's five MEPs about their intentions, he wanted all Fine Gael's election conventions to be completed by the end of March.

Three of the party's five MEPs are expected to stand in the Dáil elections. They are Gay Mitchell in Dublin; Máiréad McGuinness (possibly in a Dublin or Meath constituency); and Simon Coveney in Cork South Central.