Government denies U-turn on decentralisation

The Government has denied making a U-turn in agreeing to hold Oireachtas hearings on its controversial decentralisation programme.

The Minister of State at the Department of Finance,  Mr Tom Parlon, said there was "no conspiracy" or "backing down" in yesterday's decision by the Government-controlled committee to hold two days of hearings on the plan.

The committee had previously voted down a proposal to review the subject which the Opposition claimed was a deliberate attempt by the Coalition to obstruct debate on the issue.

But in the face of  increasing criticism over its plan to move 10,000 civil servants out of Dublin, the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, yesterday assured the Dáil that the committee would address the matter.

Mr Parlon rejected criticism that the Government was refusing to consult with civil servants, saying his door was "always open".

Senior civil servants have claimed the Government is proceeding with the plan without proper consultation or analysis.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio today, the former president University of Limerick, Professor Edward Walsh, said moving the departments of Government to separate locations across the State was "unprecedented in European terms against all advice from other countries".

Prof Walsh said there was no document to indicate "we will improve the quality of government by fragmenting it". He said the issue has not been "examined or considered" sufficiently.

Bur Mr Parlon said Ireland was a small country and moving Departments outside the capital was not against concept of "joined-up Government" .

He admitted there would be challenges but claimed that was what the implementation body was set up to deal with.