The Progressive Democrats are committed to the Government's decentralisation programme, the Tánaiste has insisted in the Dáil
Ms Harney said that "the Government's decentralisation programme is a Government one" and "the policy decision has been made".
She also rejected the Opposition's demands for public hearings by the Finance and Public Service committee to scrutinise the proposals.
"The Government is not obliged to hold hearings," she told the House. Fine Gael's deputy leader, Mr Richard Bruton, said the Government "may think it is being decisive in pushing ahead with decentralisation, but surely the Tánaiste would agree that it should be open to proper scrutiny by the Oireachtas".
He challenged her to justify the decision to block hearings by the committee given the "democratic accountability to which her party has always been pledged".
Ms Harney said the Government had put a process in place, chaired by Mr Phil Flynn, to look at all the issues surrounding decentralisation. TDs could raise the matter through the "normal channels", but the policy decision had been made.
"What remains to be put in place is the arrangements for the transfer of individuals who wish to move from Dublin to their preferred location."
Mr Bruton said the Finance and Public Service committee wanted to invite Mr Flynn, the trade unions and experts to scrutinise the proposals. "Why is the Tánaiste's party, supported by Fianna Fáil, blocking those hearings?"
Ms Harney said she detected an attitude from the Opposition that they wanted to "change the programme. In fact, I know the Labour Party put up posters stating 'No to Decentralisation'."
But Labour leader Mr Pat Rabbitte said the PDs had canvassed on the basis that decentralisation was a Fianna Fáil idea.
Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Sinn Féin's leader in the Dáil, said Fianna Fáil members of the public service committee had "censored" it from dealing with the issue.
Nothing affected the public service more than the proposal to decentralise 10,300 jobs, he said.
