Transfers delayed for three years

THE decentralisation of thousands of public jobs from Dublin to around the country is being postponed until 2011, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan announced.

In his Budget, he said 6,000 jobs had already been moved to 40 locations throughout the State as part of the five-year-old scheme.

But the planned shift of almost 5,000 jobs in other Government departments to the regions will now be shelved for three years, he said.

The deferral is expected to impact on 20 locations throughout the country, including Cavan town, Claremorris, Thurles, Tipperary town, Edenderry, Dungarvan and Enniscorthy.

The towns were earmarked for decentralised jobs within the Department of Communications Energy and Natural Resources, the Office of Public Works, An Garda Síochána, the Department of Justice, higher and further education bodies, Ordnance Survey Ireland and Bord Bia.

The decentralisation scheme proposed the transfer of 10,300 posts to 53 locations across the State, but this was later increased to 10,900 jobs to 59 locations. It was announced by then finance minister Charlie McCreevy in December 2003.