Ahern denies claim of 'rethink' on decentralisation

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has denied the Government plans to decentralise 10,000 civil servants is undergoing a "rethink" due to a poor response.

Last month, a number of Department secretaries general expressed reservations about plans to relocate the public servants. Only around 10 per cent of the 10,000 staff involved have indicated a willingness to move to the proposed 53 locations in 25 counties.

However, in response to a question from the Labour Party leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, in the Dáil this morning, the Taoiseach insisted the proposal was not being reconsidered.

"I wish to assure Deputy Rabbitte that he's wrong ... there is no rethink," he said. Mr Ahern added there were no plans to move any staff from his department under the plan, noting the Central Statistics Office, which is under his direction, was already situated in Cork.

Mr Rabbitte claimed there was "widespread dissatisfaction" within the civil service about the proposals.

Mr Ahern said he was unaware of any dissatisfaction within his department, but said 36 people were on the transfer list, seeking a move out of Dublin.

According to figures released to Fine Gael under the Freedom of Information Act, only 42 of the Department of Agriculture's 1,100 staff in Dublin are willing to move, while only 29 of 424 respondents among the 450 staff in the Department of Communications said they would leave the capital.

The Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, has ruled out compensation for civil servants agreeing to move from Dublin.