Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)

The Tánaiste has not answered the question of how many will be decentralised during 2008. This is yet another example of the Government making a political decision, like setting up the HSE. Decentralisation was nothing more than a political decision, made in December 2003 for budget 2004. The Government is now hiving responsibility over to an unaccountable body, the implementation group. Does the Tánaiste take responsibility for decentralisation? Does he agree that, as it currently stands, it is a shambles? More than 14 months after the deadline his Government set, of 31 December 2006, we find that less than 20% of civil servants have been decentralised, only 50% of whom were based in Dublin. Furthermore, we find that there are 26 locations to which the Government has yet to decentralise. I note from his comments that in many of those cases, the Government has yet to acquire sites or properties. Is decentralisation the Tánaiste's responsibility? What measures will he put in place to ensure that decentralisation takes place over a reasonable period? What targets has he set and, as the original question asked, how many will be decentralised in 2008?

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