Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for his reply. I am sure he was invited to a recent meeting that was organised by some of the representatives of the workers affected. It was notable that there was no Fianna Fáil representative and many people were disappointed. Nonetheless, some very important questions were put at that meeting that require answers if the Government is intent on fulfilling what it says in its policy.

There is a tiny number of people volunteering to move within the State agencies. In the case of five agencies, not a single person has volunteered and in the case of seven, fewer than ten have opted to do so. Overall, fewer than one in ten specialists is volunteering to move. How does the Minister propose that State agencies will continue in a decentralised location if 90% of the skilled expertise is melted down in that process? The Minister raised the question of interchangeability and this goes to the core of the issue. People working in particular State agencies do not have the option of moving to others. Their contract is with the State agencies by which they are employed.

What is the Government's proposal on interchangeability? Has the Minister some idea whereby, say, skilled mappers who have opted to stay in Dublin may continue to be used effectively or shall we just see the meltdown of that expertise and the enormous expense of trying to re-employ it in some new location? There needs to be some clarity, other than palming this off on the implementation group, when plainly nothing has happened in the three years by which, in the Government's admission, it was to have been completed.

Will the Minister outline his vision as to how this might possibly be dealt with? Has he received from any of the CEOs or boards involved clear indications that they do not believe there is a business case that will stack up the proposal and what does the Government propose to do?

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