Minister denies 'zero progress' on transfers

Minister for Finance Brian Cowen has rejected allegations that there had been "zero progress" on the decentralisation of State agencies because of a failure to consider the business case.

He also rejected claims by Fine Gael finance spokesman Richard Bruton that it was up to the Minister to make suggestions for progress on decentralisation, especially in relation to the "snail's pace" progress on State agencies moving out of Dublin.

Mr Cowen insisted there had been progress, but acknowledged it was slow, in part because of industrial relations issues only recently resolved through the Labour Court.

He said State agencies had established a presence in nine locations, "although not of the amount one would seek".

However, Mr Bruton said "in some cases we have no volunteers for any of these programmes four years on, yet this is supposed to be completed".

"The Minister has made no suggestion to the people he says have to make a move. It is up to the Minister to do that. It is a Government programme, yet the Minister is making no suggestions to these people."

He said Mr Cowen "must show leadership in an issue he wants to deliver. It is not for the Ictu to deliver Government policy."

Mr Cowen said "an initiative cannot be taken when an industrial relations issue is the reason no one is engaging".

"That has been dealt with now. I have written to the Ictu, and asked for discussions to take place quickly."

Mr Bruton, referring to the changes in the decentralisation of Revenue Commissioner posts to Kildare, said it was "an innovation to see a proposal on decentralisation being abandoned because the business case for the proposal did not stand up under examination".

Mr Cowen said the decentralisation of 380 posts in the Revenue Commissioners to Kildare would go ahead.

He had agreed to an "alternative mix" of posts for Kildare following a letter from the chairman of the Revenue Commissioners about "some business continuity issues regarding the relocation of that office's full ICT [information and communication technology] function".