Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

Does the Taoiseach not agree that it is unacceptable that Government, which introduced this programme and wants to implement it, has made no proposal to State agencies in regard to how people who opt to remain in Dublin can be redeployed within the public service? There is no history of and no system for transferring from an agency to the public service or another agency. Some 2,300 people have had decentralisation hanging over their heads for the past four years. Virtually nobody has opted to move from Dublin in the case of the State agencies, yet the Government has no proposals to progress that aspect of decentralisation.

Does the Taoiseach not agree that it is not acceptable for Ministers, who are responsible for the implementation of this programme, to hide behind the decentralisation implementation group, to refuse to answer questions in regard to it, and instead point the finger repeatedly at an unaccountable implementation group? I know the Ceann Comhairle feels equally concerned that these bodies should be accountable in a more realistic way. This is a Government programme and it should not be hived off to an unaccountable agency with no Minister taking responsibility when things go wrong. Does the Taoiseach accept that as head of the Government he must impose more ministerial responsibility in regard to this programme?

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