Decentralisation plan on target, vows Cowen

More than 2,000 civil servants will have decentralised to 29 towns and cities by the end of next year, Minister for Finance Brian Cowen said today.

The original decentralisation plan, unveiled by Mr Cowen’s predecessor, Charlie McCreevy in 2003, ambitiously aimed to relocate 10,300 staff to 53 locations within three years at no cost to the Exchequer.