Madam, - It is hardly surprising that the planned decentralisation to Navan has been scaled back. The information about Navan, available on the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform website, is inaccurate and misleading.
The claim that Navan is "30 minutes from Dublin" is entirely false (perhaps 60 minutes if one exceeds the speed limit and there is little or no traffic). In answer to the question "Are there creche facilities?", the answer is simply "Yes". No further information is supplied.
According to the document, a new five-bedroomed detached house in Navan town costs €325,000. Amusing as the document is, informative it most certainly is not. - Yours, etc,
JENNIFER HEGARTY-OWENS, Ansbach, Germany.
Madam, - In light of the continuing brouhaha regarding decentralisation, as I leaf through today's residential property section I am reminded that Mr McCreevy sold decentralisation in part on the fantastic profits that would accrue to workers selling their homes in Dublin.
Government policy would have in fact cost civil servants vast sums of forgone tax-free gains if the policy had been adopted in a timely manner. I wonder if Mr Ahern, the property pundit, would have answered questions about these losses. - Yours, etc,
RICHARD KIDNEY, Orpen Rise, Blackrock, Co Dublin.