The devolution of decision-making powers to the lowest levels of government authority. Bryld (2001) Democratization 8, 3 questions the use of decentralization as a development strategy. However, Faguet (2003) Crisis States, W. Paper 29 argues that decentralization in Bolivia ‘put real power over public resources in the hands of ordinary citizens’. National governments may use decentralization to regenerate declining regions; see K. Altes (2002) Urb. Studs 39, 8 on decentralization in the Netherlands. In 2003, the government of the Republic of Ireland began the transfer of complete government departments to provincial locations.
http://www.decentralisation.gov.ie/ Decentralization in the Republic of Ireland.