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Latest Developments on Decentralisation

Industrial action over decentralisation likely to spread

Date Released: 15 May 2006

SIPTU expects industrial action over the Government's decentralisation plan to spread to other State agencies, said Owen Reidy, Branch Organiser with SIPTU's State & Related Agencies Branch. 

“Problems of a similar nature to those being experienced by SIPTU members in FAS are emerging in both Enterprise Ireland and the Combat Poverty Agency,” he said.

"Under a ‘Freedom of Information’ request, SIPTU has discovered that in Enterprise Ireland attempts are being made to compel members - who have been reassigned or promoted as a result of an internal voluntary early retirement scheme - to relocate to Shannon.  

“And Enterprise Ireland’s plan to relocate its Dublin-based staff - currently in four locations - to East Point in 2007, will further facilitate and lock staff into decentralising to Shannon through its proposed short-term leasing arrangements.

“In the Combat Poverty Agency, the Department of Social & Family Affairs are insisting that future contracts will include a clause which makes it a condition of employment to relocate to Monaghan.

"In both organisations there is no appetite for decentralisation among the employees.  The Government's decentralisation plan is now in disarray right across the State agency sector. But it seems as if they are intent on compelling employees to decentralise by manipulating situations in the certain key organisations.  

“While we will continue to engage in talks through the normal industrial relations procedures, we will have no hesitation in considering a ballot for official industrial action to protect our members, if such talks fail to deliver a satisfactory outcome," concluded Mr. Reidy.



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