Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

Does the Minister have any concerns, particularly regarding specialist agencies due to decentralise? I wish to mention two specifically, the first being the Development Co-operation Ireland division of the Department of Foreign Affairs. According to documentation released to me under the Freedom of Information Act 1997, no senior diplomats serving in that section and no senior specialists in foreign aid are willing to decentralise to Limerick. One must remember that they must also move regularly to take up posts in the rest of the world as Department of Foreign Affairs employees. Does the Minister share the fears expressed in the risk assessment regarding that section that the decentralisation process as planned, particularly by the Minister's colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, will be "catastrophic", to quote the paper? This comes at a time, next year and the year after, when the Government is increasing development aid spending by €100 million per annum. The total will rise to approximately €600 million next year and continue to rise every year after.

FÁS information shows that six people out of 400 from that organisation's headquarters, many of whom are highly trained specialists, are willing to move. The Labour Party seeks a review of the implementation process. Is the Minister concerned enough to examine areas where there are significant problems regarding damage to the public service and to carry out an appropriate review?

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