Decentralisation - Ministers should heed warnings

THE note of caution from the president of the Royal Institute of Architects (RIA) regarding a modification of proposed decentralisation plans, is a matter which the Government would be strongly advised to consider.

Currently, the Government is going ahead with plans to spend at least €900m on providing office space for more than 10,000 public servants it wants to move out of Dublin. They would be re-located to 53 different locations throughout the country in a scheme hatched by previous Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy.

When it was announced by him in the Budget last year, it was perceived as a political ploy which would appeal to the regions, and was heralded conveniently well ahead of this year’s local and European elections. From that aspect it failed, as the electorate proved in the election results that it was not in the humour for contrived schemes to boost a then unpopular Government.