Government breaks pledge as State jobs move on hold

THE Government is set to break its promise on announcing the transfer of up to 10,000 State jobs from the capital before Christmas despite intense pressure from within Fianna Fáil and opposition parties.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Tánaiste Mary Harney are both committed to starting the decentralisation programme, first mooted by Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy almost four years ago, before the end of this year.

Yet Mr McCreevy says he cannot say when the Government will make a decision on the matter to the frustration of his party's backbenchers and towns across the country.

In response to parliamentary questions from Fianna Fáil Limerick West TD John Cregan and Labour Party social welfare spokesman Willie Penrose, Mr McCreevy said a number of issues have to be examined, including the National Spatial Strategy, before a final decision is taken on a new programme of decentralisation.

He could not give any indication of when an announcement was likely.

"Given the wide range of considerations, it is not possible for me to state when the Government will take a decision on this matter. Until that decision is reached I am not in position to state which locations will be included or excluded from the programme," he said.

The minister's spokesman said a proposal to the Cabinet with details of the plan will ultimately come from Mr McCreevy but the Department of Finance's workload is dominated by this week's spending estimates and next month's Budget 2004.

Budget day will mark the fourth anniversary of Mr McCreevy's announcement that the Government would proceed with a radical round of decentralisation, involving the transfer of up to 10,000 semi-State and Government employees from Dublin to various provincial locations.

Since then, around 130 cities and towns have lobbied the Government aiming to benefit from the dispersal of jobs.

While personally lobbying for the application of Newcastlewest, Kilrush and Listowel, Mr Cregan said party backbenchers would continue to pressure the Cabinet to proceed quickly with the plans.

At a forthcoming meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, the matter will be raised by a number of TDs, he said.

"Certainly it is getting frustrating from our point of view. We have built up the hopes of communities and towns. We have been telling people it is going to happen. There are a lot of people representing provincial towns and county towns and these would be really valuable jobs for these areas," Mr Cregan said.

Recently, the Taoiseach said the Department of Finance would introduce the decentralisation proposals before Christmas.

"The committee responsible has completed its work and has made preliminary recommendations to the minister," Mr Ahern said on October 1.

At the Progressive Democrats conference earlier this year, the Tánaiste said it was time for action on decentralisation.

"Well it's time for action now. We will make a start this year. We will make it happen. We will get things moving," Ms Harney said on April 12.