Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)

I am not against decentralisation which I regard as having an important role in regional development. If handled properly it will be completely in line with the Government's national spatial strategy. However the shambolic manner in which the decentralisation programme is being handled is a cause for worry on a number of fronts. It seems the decentralisation of DCI, Development Co-operation Ireland, has gone into reverse. In response to my parliamentary question asked last December, the Minister stated that 28 out of 123 DCI staff had applied for decentralisation but in a response given in January, the number was 24 out of 123 staff. The Minister of State now informs the House that approximately six development specialists have withdrawn their applications and the matter is now one for discussion between the Department and the trade unions.

Has the Minister of State taken into consideration the views of the non-governmental organisations which have expressed concern about the situation whereby at a time when the overseas aid programme is expanding rapidly, there will be a serious loss of intellectual memory in Development Co-operation Ireland? Has the Minister of State been in negotiations with the NGOs about their concerns? A statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs last January contained an implied threat that staff who did not decentralise would be replaced. This is not the way to conduct a sensitive decentralisation programme of an important arm of the development aid programme.

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