Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

With regard to another decentralisation issue, a statement made by the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, when he was on safari in Africa, was quoted in The Irish Times. The report stated there was "legal doubt surrounding the status of contracted specialists". The Minister of State added: "We are waiting in the train station at Heuston en route for Limerick because until that legal action — which may end up in the European Court — is resolved, it will make it very difficult for us to effect that change". In ordinary English, that means the Minister of State responsible for overseas development was saying that because of legal and IR issues, decentralisation in the overseas development aid section of the Department of Foreign Affairs will be on the tracks at Heuston Station until the matter goes to the European Court. In the context of the Minister's response to Deputy Bruton with regard to IR discussions, will the Minister explain how many other references to the European Court are in train, to quote the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan?

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