John Dardis (Progressive Democrats)

I move:

That Seanad Éireann—

—conscious of the benefits to communities and the regions outside of Dublin;

—aware of the need to reduce congestion and to restrict housing cost increases in Dublin;

—recognising the need for career opportunities in a revitalised Public Service; and

—conscious of the capacity of modern communications systems to effectively link offices and businesses around the world,

welcomes the Government's plan to decentralise 10,300 Public Service jobs to 53 centres in 25 counties outside of Dublin and invites the Minister for Finance to submit a report to the House on the plan's progress and its future implementation.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, to the House. I am sure many Senators were glad to hear the Minister for Finance announce the Government's decentralisation plans in his Budget Statement. The announcement was universally welcomed, particularly in those places to which the public service will be decentralised.

Some officials from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners will be decentralised to Athy, in my home county of Kildare. If one examines the experience of Athy, one will see a good example of the benefits that decentralisation can bring to towns and regions throughout the country. When I was growing up, Athy was the premier business town of County Kildare. Many people from the central areas of the county went to Athy to do their business, for example, to buy household requisites and agricultural supplies. It was a hub of economic activity. Those days are long gone, however, due to the decline experienced in Athy during the 1970s and 1980s. We welcomed the construction of large public authority housing estates, as such houses were needed, but the job prospects of those living in such estates were poor. Athy suffered because businesses did not thrive or develop there. The town became a shadow of what it was when I was growing up in County Kildare.

The announcement of the decentralisation of jobs in the Office of the Revenue Commissioners to Athy was greeted with acclaim by the town council and the people of Athy. That was also the case in Newbridge, where it is proposed to relocate part of the Department of Defence, and in the Curragh, where it is proposed to relocate the Army's headquarters. The benefits of decentralisation are such that there are no dissenting voices in the county, or indeed throughout the country. The Government stated that it planned to review progress at some stage. I am conscious that Senators on all sides of the House have called for a debate on decentralisation in recent weeks. The motion before the House has been proposed in that context.

I have to ask the Opposition a fundamental question, which applies to Fine Gael in particular. Does it agree with decentralisation as a principle? Its carping and sniping about the proposal is such that one has to question its commitment to the principle of decentralisation. It is important that we be given an answer to that question. Are the Opposition parties, particularly Fine Gael, committed to the principle of decentralisation? If not, why are they not committed to it?

Regardless of the benefits of decentralisation to regions and communities throughout the country, the relocation of public sector jobs has significant potential benefits for Dublin. Driving into Dublin each morning is such a problematic exercise that one would almost be inclined to leave the night before. I exceeded my personal record for a 30 mile journey during the week when it took me two hours and 20 minutes to drive to Leinster House. Many public servants welcome the opportunity to relocate to other areas because they find it difficult to travel to Dublin because of traffic congestion. They are dissatisfied with the lifestyle in this city.

One can understand that some of those who are settled in urban communities, many of whom work at senior levels of the public service and have given many years of service, are reluctant to move. A reluctance to change is a common human characteristic, especially as one gets older. It can become more dominant as one becomes more senior. There are significant potential benefits for such people, however. Many people in the lower levels of the public service are prepared to move to places where housing costs much less, where it is much easier to get access to quality education and where the entire lifestyle is better. Senior people with a residue of capital in the property they bought many years ago might consider it beneficial to transfer from Dublin to a town or city where housing costs are less. If they benefit from the difference between the price of a house in Dublin and the price of a similar house elsewhere, they may build up a nest egg to put in their pockets.

It is important to state that there is no question of coercion in this regard. There are obvious career opportunities and promotion and advancement possibilities in the public service. Nobody is coercing anybody to move. The Government intends to decentralise 10,300 public servants, which is a small proportion of the total of 300,000. I would be surprised if it could not find 10,300 people who are willing to move. I am aware that Mr. Philip Flynn, the chairman of the implementation body, is dealing with these matters. I am sure the industrial relations and other issues that arise will be dealt with to the satisfaction of people who might be affected by change. One can readily appreciate the reluctance of many people to go and I am sure those who do not want to will not be forced to go, which is as it should be.

Mobility of labour and personnel is a common feature of the modern era to the extent that aeroplanes travelling across the Atlantic Ocean or even beyond the nearest jurisdiction, Great Britain, to the continent are frequently filled with executives of multinational companies who travel back and forth to work, often having no discretion in the matter. If one started a job with, for example, one of the banks, although that may be an unfortunate example at present, historically one did not have much discretion as to where one was sent and the fact that one might be transferred several times in one's career was taken for granted.

There is a reluctance inherent in the public service to enduring such changes but we have come to a point in modern society at which there is huge mobility and people are moving not just within countries but between them and across continents at the behest of their employers in the private sector. On the other hand, decentralisation is voluntary.

It has been suggested that decentralisation will affect the integrity and impartiality of the public service, which displays a very limited degree of confidence in the public service, its traditions, the fact that it has served the State so well over such a long period and that public servants are committed to the service of the State and the communities. That ethos does not rely on offices being located in Dublin, rather it is evident no matter where such people are located. The culture is not about buildings or addresses but the way in which people work, the values they share and the implementation of the judgment calls they make, none of which will be undermined by decentralisation.

Deputy John Bruton seems to have some reservations about decentralisation in his article in today's edition of the Irish Independent. On the one hand he stated, "The private sector of our economy, with the exception of some of the professions, is as efficient as it can be and can be expected to further improve its efficiency by more use of information technology", which bears out the point I made about the private sector. However, Deputy Bruton goes on to state, "The real competitive challenge for Ireland will be that of ensuring that Government services become progressively more efficient to enable them to absorb the extra cost", to which I say "Amen". This can be done in the context of a decentralisation policy which is well-ordered and thought out and will bring benefits to the regions.

The decentralisation implementation committee is chaired by Mr. Phil Flynn. Any concerns about industrial relations problems are being handled by individual management bodies. The first report of the decentralisation implementation committee of last March states:

We identify the people dimension as being far and away the most important element. We are grateful for the earnestness with which the issues are being addressed and would encourage all concerned to continue to engage meaningfully.

That is indicative of the approach which has been taken by the decentralisation implementation committee.

In her budget speech to the Dáil on 4 December last, the Tánaiste stated:

I believe that people elect politicians to get things done. Our decision to decentralise is right for our country, right in its scale, right in its ambition and right in its results. Decentralisation can only work as a stimulus to the economic development of the regions if it is large scale and not piecemeal. It can only work as Government, leading by example for investors, if it involves major Government offices.

She also spoke about the opportunities the policy will create for public servants and their families, to which I have already referred.

Decentralisation will also have the effect of bringing the public service much closer to the people. There is a sense that the offices in Dublin are in some way remote and inaccessible to citizens and that even when one telephones, one feels that a Chinese wall operates. That public servants will become part of communities throughout the country will be of great benefit.

The Minister of State at the Department of Finance with responsibility for the OPW, Deputy Parlon, is involved in finding premises and offices for the people who will be decentralised and I understand some 700 proposals have been received by the OPW in response to requests for property, which shows a live interest on the part of communities around the country in having public servants locate in their communities permanently. I am sure the Minister of State will report on the property aspect of the programme in respect of sites and so on. It is beneficial that we discuss these issues. I am a decentralisation enthusiast and I look forward to its advancing at a rapid pace.