Spread Public Sector Jobs More Evenly
A report published yesterday suggested that up to 4,000 jobs should be moved away from Belfast, as part of a major plan to reorganise the public sector in Northern Ireland. The author of the report undertook an independent review of the sector, and recommended that public jobs be spread more evenly throughout the region. It earmarked the towns of Omagh, Newry, Coleraine, Craigavon, Ballymena and Londonderry as potential locations.
The author of the report, Professor Sir George Bain, suggested that several organisations should be moved out of the capital city. The most high profile organisation is the Government’s Department of Agricultural and Rural Development, based at Stormont. Other potential relocations could happen for the new Victims and Survivors commission, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, the Regional Health and Social Care Board, the Land & Property services and the headquarters of Northern Ireland Water.
The recommendations from the report were unveiled in Belfast. Professor Bain said that above everything else, he believes there should be a better economic balance in Northern Ireland, which is at the heart of the recommendations. There should also be some relocation of public sector jobs. The report also concluded that any movement of jobs should be taken in a modest and prudent manner, and should be introduced on a phased basis. In the first five years of the project, between 3,000 and 4,000 jobs would be relocated according to the proposals.The Professor was commissioned to undertake the review in November last year by the Northern Ireland Executive.