Ahern insists decentralisation will go ahead as planned

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has insisted that the Government’s contentious decentralisation programme will be implemented as planned.

Mr Ahern said today that he hoped substantial progress would be made on the programme within the three-year target.

He said he would like to see the plan implemented in the shortest time possible.

Mr Ahern also accepted that there would be important industrial relations and human resources issues involved in decentralisation and said he would proceed with the programme on a partnership basis with trade unions.

Yesterday, IMPACT, Ireland’s largest public sector union, urged the Government to abandon its decentralisation plan due to a lack of interest from civil servants.