About half of the public servants relocated under the Government's decentralisation programme have moved from locations other than Dublin, according to figures supplied to Labour's finance spokesperson, Joan Burton, in response to Dáil questions. Stephen Collins, Political Editor, reports.
Ms Burton said yesterday that decentralisation was justified originally on the basis that it would ease the pressure on infrastructure in the Dublin area and promote regional development.
"But simply transferring a public servant from Kilrush to Listowel does nothing to ease the pressure on Dublin or promote regional development," Ms Burton added.
She said that estimates suggested that about half those relocating were actually from outside Dublin, but the replies she had received suggested that the ratio in some cases is far higher.
"Ironically, probably the greatest failure in terms of persuading staff to move out of Dublin is in regard to bodies for which Brian Cowen's own Department of Finance has direct responsibility.
"For instance in the case of the 50 Revenue Commissioner staff who have transferred to Newcastle West in Limerick, just two (4 per cent) have moved from Dublin.
"In the case of the 54 Revenue staff who have transferred to Kilrush, just six (11 per cent) have moved from Dublin, while of the 49 who have moved to Listowel the number again is six (12 per cent).
"It is a similar pattern in regard to the 20 Office of Public Works staff who have moved to Claremorris, as just six were previously based in Dublin."
Ms Burton added that the decentralisation programme was now way behind schedule and looked increasingly incapable of ever being implemented.