Sligo ideal for civil servants

THE Government has been urged to relocate more civil servants to key regional centres such as Sligo and Tubbercurry.

The calls came from Cathaoirleach of the Council Councillor Seamus Kilgannon and Councillor Jerry Lundy.

Cllr Lundy said the Civil Service Mobility Scheme revealed huge demand for relocation outside Dublin with 711 applications requesting a move out of Dublin lodged since November.

“If we got 100 to Tubbercurry we would be delighted,” he told the meeting.

“Tubbercurry has two modern office blocks lying empty and ready to be occupied. We had 100 staff here in the past,” he said.

“I again make the call for a Regional Passport Office to be base in Tubbercurry. Cork has one, Dublin has two but there is no Passport Office covering the entire West/North West of Ireland,” he said.

“So I’m asking that Tubbercurry would be looked at again for some of these jobs,” he added.

Councillor Tom MacSharry seconded the motion.

Councillor Margaret Gormley agreed the 100 civil servants had worked very well for Tubbercurry in the past. “There are two premises vacant and one premises ideally suited for a Garda Station and I cannot see why the Garda Authorities cannot see the light,” she said.

“That building would serve the force for years to come,” she added.

The Cathaoirleach Cllr Kilgannon also referred to data obtained through a Parliamentary Question by Deputy Eamon O’Cuiv which revealed 711 civil servants based in Dublin applied for mobility transfers to the regions.

“Now that Sligo is designated a Key Regional Centre in Project Ireland 2040, Sligo County Council calls on the Government to relocate more civil servants to Key Regional Centres like Sligo,” he said.

He said the long commutes and high rents were making Dublin less attractive, particularly for lower paid civil servants.

“It would make sense for a lot of these people to move into the regions. We all have a duty to lobby and do whatever we can,” he told members, “particularly now that we have the Chair of the Seanad here,” he added, referring to Senator Denis O’Donovan who sat in on part of the Council meeting.

Cllr Kilgannon’s motion was seconded by Cllr Tom MacSharry.