Madam, - John McManus (Business Opinion, May 31st) is critical of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions for its silence in the face of the Government plans to decentralise 10,000 civil and public service jobs.
While it may be true that congress has not been running a high-profile media campaign against the plan, we have been in direct discussions with the Department of Finance, seeking answers to significant questions that arise in the context of the Government's decision.
While it would not be possible to do justice in this letter to the breath and depth of the issues raised, I would like to point to two aspects which have yet to be adequately addressed by the Department of Finance.
Firstly, for employees of State agencies selected for decentralisation, the contention that the scheme is entirely voluntary is a very hollow one. If you are an employee of, say, Enterprise Ireland, which is due to move to Shannon, unless you wish to move to Shannon you are effectively being forced out of your job. For many employees in the State agencies this is the stark reality they face.
Secondly, the Department of Finance has failed to address how State agencies' essential services will continue to be provided if none or few of the staff choose to move to the new locations. To illustrate this point, Ordinance Survey Ireland is due to relocate to Dungarvan. If none of the cartographers choose to relocate it will be impossible for this agency to carry out its core function in the new location.
While Mr McManus speculates about the motives for our silence, I can assure him and your readers that we have significant questions which remain unanswered about the Government plan. We will continue to work through the issues in a search for solutions that protect the public service and its employees. - Yours, etc.,
LIAM BERNEY, Congress Industrial Officer, ICTU, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1.