Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

On the last occasion we addressed this sequence of questions, the Minister indicated that the calculation was that some 4,813 Dublin based civil servants had applied to participate in the proposed relocation or decentralisation scheme. Has there been any advance on that figure in regard to Dublin based civil servants seeking to move from the city to other rural locations? Mindful of the words of the former Minister, Deputy McCreevy, when he stated that the prospect of a hanging concentrates the mind wonderfully, does the Minister believe the deadline of the next general election is unlikely to be met in the context of the announcement made in last year's budget? Would the Minister consider a changed proposal that might have a more realistic target date and would allow time to consider the proposed locations and for civil servants to properly plan for the advent of such a move?

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