Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I did not interrupt Deputy Bruton and I would appreciate being allowed the opportunity to reply.

Enterprise Ireland's results, published yesterday, are a clear manifestation that the decentralisation process is not undermining its performance or capacity to achieve and to work. Subsequent to previous decentralisation of major agencies such as the Central Statistics Office, there was no evidence that the activities, services or standards of agencies or of Departments or units of Departments transferred were undermined.

It really depends on one's political viewpoint and one's commitment to the concept of decentralisation. There are challenges and as I stated publicly already, we have to approach the area of agencies differently than we approached the area of the Civil Service. My Department, for example, which is transferring to Carlow, has made rapid progress on that decentralisation project and is well in line to achieve its target. Clearly, the same experience has not been evident in agencies. Nonetheless, the Health and Safety Authority is making good progress in terms of the Thomastown site and being in a position to move on an interim basis to Kilkenny city.

We will continue to work through the centralised arrangements in consultation with the social partners to advance the agenda, but without undermining the activities of the agencies concerned.

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