Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Since the last occasion on which these questions were asked, significant events have taken place. Will the Taoiseach indicate if he has made any appointment to the chairmanship of the Government decentralisation implementation committee in view of the resignation of Mr. Phil Flynn arising from his association with a person under investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau in respect of his involvement with a finance company? Will the Taoiseach confirm that there are no restrictions on the promotion of civil servants in Dublin? Queries I have received indicate that when civil servants in Dublin sign up for promotion it must be on the basis that they are prepared to relocate outside Dublin. Does the Taoiseach agree that this is contradictory, given the voluntary nature of the decentralisation programme, under which the former Minister for Finance, Mr. McCreevy, said 10,000 civil servants would be relocated within three years? Can the Taoiseach confirm that promotions are not contingent upon agreement to relocate to a different part of the country?

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