Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

What is the Government's response to the strike today by those FÁS staff who it is proposed to forcibly relocate to the constituency of the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, and the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon? Is the Taoiseach concerned? Does he recognise the mounting concern about the decentralisation programme announced by the former Minister for Finance, Mr. McCreevy?

There is widespread concern, including on the Fianna Fáil backbenches. I welcome the support for the position I have repeatedly expressed in this House from so many Fianna Fáil Deputies. I am sure the Taoiseach read about it at the weekend. Perfectly sensible statements were made by Fianna Fáil Members. Such Members are interested in genuine regional balance and are genuinely interested in a decentralisation programme that is thought out, planned and negotiated. They are genuinely concerned about the damage that will be done to the coherence of governance as a result of going ahead with what was a blatant political stroke.

Can the Taoiseach tell the House of a single thing he has done to support his own spatial strategy? Will he explain to the House how the choice of the 53 centres, which were plucked according to the exigencies and requirements of local constituencies, supports the spatial strategy? Does he acknowledge he cannot proceed with the transfer of FÁS staff for the obvious reasons and arguments made outside this House?

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