The junior minister responsible for overseeing the Government's decentralisation plan has acknowledged the initial number of applications from public servants willing to move from Dublin is "disappointing".
However, the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Mr Tom Parlon, insisted the that the fact that around 40 per cent of the identified number of posts had already been applied for was "a positive result" and he reiterated that all transfers would be voluntary.
Mr Parlon was speaking this evening in an address to the Patrick MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal, on the theme 'Decentralisation - can it work?'
The Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, announced in last December's Budget that 10,300 civil and public servants will transfer from Dublin to 53 locations in 25 other counties, which was increased to 55 with the subsequent inclusion of Fermoy and Dundalk.
The minister said he rejected the contention of some critics that the Government cannot operate under decentralisation. He said there had never been a more suitable time for decentralisation and that the civil service was in a better position than ever to tackle the challenges associated with the programme.
Mr Parlon said the decentralisation plan was not rushed and added that nor would be the process for implementing it. "We do not, however, intend to be leisurely in our pace or to operate with no targets, staging posts or objectives," he added.
The early results showed that about 2,600 civil servants working in Dublin are interested in moving to the new decentralised locations or to existing provincial offices, Mr Parlon said. In addition, another 2,200 civil servants working outside Dublin wanted to move to the new decentralised locations.
"The critics say people don't want to go. I would argue that point. In my view, the level of response at this early stage in the implementation process is a clear indication that many, many people do want to avail of the opportunity to move under this programme."
The minister also said the issue of 'memory loss' within the civil service was being addressed and planned for. And he said the proximity of senior civil servants to each other in Dublin does not result in regular face-to-face contact.
"I'd like to correct the misconception that all senior civil servants are running in and out of each other's offices on a daily basis. Let me break it to you - they don't," he said
The minister said he acknowledged that the initial response for posts was disappointing, but added that this was "not surprising" since the trade unions had actively advised their members not to cooperate with the online applications process.
Mr Parlon said a decision on whether to operate a similar Central Applications Facility (CAF) for staff wishing to remain in Dublin would only be made when the outcome of the CAF for those wishing to relocate emerged.
Speaking at the same event, however, Fine Gael senator Mr Brian Hayes said decentralisation was a political "stroke" that had backfired. Mr Hayes noted that in the 53 towns selected for decentralisation, Fianna Fail lost one quarter of their seats.
He expressed particular concern about the potential for compromising the impartiality of the civil service and it's recruitment arm the Civil Service Commission. "Public servants are now pawns in a political argument," he said.
He defended the principle of decentralisation but said the Government had embarked on the plan without the necessary research and consultation. The plan had also been announced without regard for the National Spatial Strategy (NSS) which would increase the disparity in development between Dublin and the regions, he continued.
Noting that only 20 per cent of towns selected where earmarked for development in the NSS, Mr Hayes said: "While the 53 towns will gain somewhat from the decentralisation plan, Dublin will grow bigger and faster because there is simply no other city with a capacity to compete with the Dublin region."
The Government should "go back the drawing board so that something positive can still be salvaged from this mess," he said.