Madam, - As a State agency employee recently granted a reprieve by the Decentralisation Implementation Group, I read with interest Mark Brennock's article in Thursday's edition ("Decentralisation U-turn a response to arrogant image"). Mr Brennock is correct when he points out that "the Government decided to cut its losses and get out from under the massively unattainable commitment".
Surely it is time for Junior Minister Tom Parlon to apologise to State agency employees for this débâcle? Within hours of Charlie McCreevy's original announcement last year, Mr Parlon was crowing about the jobs he had secured for his constituency. Brash billboards proclaimed a welcome to "Parlon Country" for civil and public servants, without a thought for those whose lives would be affected by this.
Time and again we made it abundantly clear to Mr Parlon that decentralisation was not an option for us and time and again we had our concerns dismissed out of hand. Even now he persists in telling us that black is white and that he believes the take-up rate will improve, when it so obviously won't.
Is a Junior Ministry really the best place for a man as deluded as Mr Parlon? - Is mise,
LOUISE O'REILLY, Downpatrick Road, Dublin 12