“to reap what are currently unquantifiable, long-term benefits..”
Sir George Bain’s report on the review of policy on location of public sector jobs has been received by the Finance Minister. Brief BBC report here and you can get the full report here. 27 recommendations in total. But there is a caution included in the report’s conclusion.
9.6 We also need to manage expectations. What we are recommending is, in our view, relatively small-scale. We nevertheless believe relocation has the potential to make a positive contribution to the Executive’s overall goals and to help to shape the new Northern Ireland. But implementing our recommendations will require considerable political will. Decisions have to be made, for example, to make upfront investments in the pilot projects, in light of all the known risks, to reap what are currently unquantifiable, long-term benefits. Once those decisions are taken, strong leadership and management, at the highest level, will be necessary to create and maintain the momentum required to implement the pilot projects successfully.
“The organisations which could be relocated include the Victims and Survivors Commission;”
Oh, that’ll be a tough job to move Parliament Buildings…
All joking aside, if it requires hard headed decisions with some contention cutting across community lines then there is little chance of progress being made.
Cue the excuse for the community veto lines to be taken already.
Even if the political will existed, the simple truth is that the vast majority of senior civil servants live within the Greater Belfast/North Down area and turkeys don’t normally vote for Christmas.
Expect the numerous copies of this report to become toilet paper in approx ten years time when the Department’s are having a clear-out of their offices.
Ok, excellent! Let’s see now.
Let’s:
1. Wrest control of that plant in Limavady from Seagate, by hook, crook or by force of never paying them a single dime in government assistance again….
2. Situate an entire government department in it.
What? There’s a problem? What? What is it? Oh you don’t want to work in Limavady? Tough shite.
There: how hard can it be?