Government’s decentralisation scheme has failed, says SIPTU

THE Government’s policy of compelling employees in semi-state agencies to decentralise has failed, SIPTU claimed yesterday.

Following the Labour Court’s ruling that promotion cannot be used by FÁS to encourage staff to relocate from Dublin, SIPTU’s branch organiser in FÁS, Greg Ennis, called on the Government to accept that its policy of compulsory decentralisation of non-commercial semi-state agencies has failed.

“It is neither realistic, nor reasonable to expect people, many of whom have 20 years or more service and family commitments, to move when there is no requirement for them to do so in order to carry out their jobs effectively,” he said.

“FÁS is already one of the most decentralised state bodies with branches in virtually every county, let alone every region. Moving the head office may duplicate costs and functions but it will not improve organisational efficiency.”

The Finance Department said it was examining the Labour Court’s ruling.

According to figures released by SIPTU yesterday, the low take-up among staff in FÁS is replicated in a range of other semi-state agencies.

In Bord Bia, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Bus Éireann, Foras na Gaeilge, Fáilte Ireland and the National Safety Council, no SIPTU members have volunteered to decentralise through the Internal Agency Applications.

Figures published by the Department of Finance showed that 40% of its 7,391 decentralised positions for civil servants have been “formally assigned”. In effect, 2,979 staff have either been relocated or are waiting on construction of their new offices. While the Data Protection Commission has all its positions assigned and the Irish Prison Service has nearly 73% of positions filled, others such as REACH have had no take-up.

Yesterday, FÁS insisted that its headquarters will be relocated to Birr, Co Offaly, by the target date of 2009. The agency has been leasing a premises at a cost of €1 million over recent years while it seeks a site for a permanent building.

According to briefing documents prepared for the Finance Minister before the general election, the decentralisation budget has increased from €900m in 2004 to €959m this year.

The cost of building the facilities countrywide is estimated at €845m, representing an increase of €40m, while the cost of acquiring sites has also risen by €20m to €95m.