First phase of decentralisation plan due for introduction

The Government is set to introduce the first phase of its controversial decentralisation programme within weeks.

The list of which towns are to benefit from the plan to move thousands of civil servants out of Dublin is to go before the Cabinet in September.

More than 120 towns have applied to be home to a Department or agency, but only around 20 will actually be selected.

Only seven towns are to be named in the initial raft, with the others to be finalised on a phased basis.

The choice of some towns has sparked accusations of favouritism among ministers.

Public Works Minister Martin Cullen has defended the apparent selection of his home town of Dungarvan, Co Waterford as one beneficiary, saying it put forward "an extremely good proposal".