Decentralisation: Thousands of civil servants will be asked to list their preferences for decentralisation locations under a plan to be announced next week, it has emerged.
The proposal, devised by the implementation group headed by former union negotiator, Mr Phil Flynn, is modelled closely on the Central Applications Office system used to award college and university places.
"They will be asked to state their preferences by location," Minister of State at the Office of Public Works, Mr Tom Parlon, told The Irish Times following the Progressive Democrats' annual conference.
The new system would "prove a lot more reliable than some of the staff surveys that have been done to date" that had indicated a high level of opposition to the Government's plans, he said.
Officials will have first choice on places in their existing Departments. "Obviously, people in the Department of Agriculture will be able to move to Portlaoise if they want to do so," he said.
The document, to be published by the Flynn implementation group, will list the number of postings and grades available in each of the 53 decentralised locations.
Meanwhile, the Office of Public Works has whittled down offers made since Christmas of office sites from 680 landowners to approximately 200, he revealed. "All of these people are now being written to, seeking details of title, planning, zoning, etc. There will be two or three 'live sites' available in each area.
"This will mean that they will actively have to compete with each other for the contract so that the State can get the best deal."
In a speech to the conference, Mr Parlon rejected concerns expressed by some former Taoisigh and former ministers on the impact of decentralisation on the Civil Service.
"In my view, what makes the Civil Service great is integrity, independence and a real sense of public service. None of these things depend on working in offices in Dublin," he said.
Emphasising that the PDs had given "a cast-iron commitment" last year that decentralisation would happen, he said high-quality services could be fostered in any town or city by committed management and staff.
"If Irish and international companies and organisations can operate effectively across time zones and continents, surely they can do it across the Shannon.
"The ball is definitely rolling on decentralisation and it's going to happen. Decentralisation is only one part, an important part, of our overall economic and regional strategy."
Meanwhile, he said the Office of Public Works would get €22.5 million from the sale of a one-acre builders' yard in Baggot Street in central Dublin.
Describing the price as "not bad", Mr Parlon said the money from this sale and other State lands would be used to acquire decentralisation sites.
He said he would proceed with a programme to "reorganise" the State's property portfolio through straight sell-offs of publicly owned land, joint ventures and land swaps. Planning permission had been received for a 320-apartment development at Westgate, opposite Heuston Station in Dublin, of which 20 per cent would be reserved for social and affordable housing.
He also said the Government would apply for, and expected to receive, a derogation on the EU nitrates directive, which obliges farmers to cut the use of fertilisers.