Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

Does the Minister accept that it is not sufficient to state that because the CSO move worked, this will work in all these specialist agencies? What evidence has he given that it will work? Can he give me the business case he put together stating why Enterprise Ireland should move as he proposes? What is the business case for the move of FÁS, the HSA and the national standards authority? Is it not the case that no business case was made by his Department for these moves? These were moves decided — as he correctly stated — on a political basis, not on the basis of any proper evaluation of the issues.

Is it not incumbent on him, as Minister, to spell out this different approach which he states must be taken with our agencies? He is responsible for these agencies. He is responsible for the delivery of their services. He should tell us the different approach he is now taking so that they can build their plans on some certainty of what the political approach will be. I have not heard of a single offer to the staff in Enterprise Ireland, FÁS, HSA or NSAI as to what they will get if they opt to remain in Dublin and, as the Minister will be aware, up to 90% of them are making that decision. The Minister must tell us this new approach. Just because he states this is a sort of political stroke, he should not expect that we go away and state we do not hold him accountable for delivering quality services from these new locations. We want to see the evidence and the strategy.

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