Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. With regard to the commemorations, I would like him to look at the possibility of providing funding for commemoration of the sinking of the RMS Leinster, which was the biggest sea tragedy we have experienced and which was sunk by a German U-boat while carrying many of the soldiers who were going back to fight at the front in the First World War. It was an episode in our history that was buried for many decades for historical reasons. In recent years, there have been commemorations of that event and the Taoiseach might look at it as something worthy of State support.

We all agree that carrying out a health check on the performance of the public service is desirable. Is this analysis going to take account in any way of the impact of decentralisation on the performance of the public service, especially the Civil Service? Most Departments have not carried out a risk analysis of the decentralisation process and how it will impact on the overall performance of the relevant Departments. Is the impact of decentralisation on the performance of the Civil Service to be included in the terms of reference of this particular examination?

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