Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

Does the Minister share the Taoiseach's concern, expressed in recent interviews, that there is no appetite within the statutory agencies for decentralisation? Proof of that is that workers in FÁS are on picket duty today because they find it difficult to accept a policy of so-called voluntary decentralisation that is linked to their promotional prospects.

The Labour Party's proposal for an all-party review is an olive branch because decentralisation is important to the country. In July the census figures will be released and will tell us a great deal about population movements. The national spatial strategy and decentralisation should be reviewed in light of that information.

Why should I not regard this decentralisation programme as one more shambles and joke perpetrated by this Government? The Taoiseach has acknowledged this, as has the Minister of State at the Department of Finance with responsibility for decentralisation because he is switching bits of Departments around. It may be the last joke that Charlie McCreevy played on this House before he left. We know that his view of the State agencies would be that if FÁS is not willing to go to Birr, who needs FÁS?

What is the Minister's reaction to the Taoiseach's confession on the sofa with Sam Smyth that the Government got it wrong and there is no appetite for decentralisation? It is caught on the horns of a dilemma between guaranteeing that the programme is voluntary and insisting that people's career and promotional prospects are linked to it. The Labour Party's proposal is for an all-party review. Will the Minister indicate why he must hang tough on this when it risks destroying our public service?

All the risk analysis I have seen shows that, for instance, in certain Departments all or most of the senior expertise would be lost. We are facing a meltdown in the Civil Service, especially in the statutory bodies, if this 53-centre relocation goes ahead with no proper consultation or planning. The taxpayer must bear the cost and many public service bodies will be destroyed. Maybe that was the joke the former Minister for Finance, Mr. McCreevy, intended to play on us. Perhaps he is having the last laugh in Brussels.

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