Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

There are at least 13 locations where advance contingents have moved and where permanent accommodation is neither affordable nor available, and this is to be reviewed in 2011. Is it intended that those staff who have moved on a contingency basis are now to return to Dublin because the situation is completely in limbo or will they remain isolated from the rest of their Departments? As this will not be reviewed until 2011, is it not a cause of some concern to the Taoiseach that this will result in fragmentation within the Department?

A total of 35 locations are pending a review in 2011. What will happen to the sites that are required by the Departments under the decentralisation programme? Will they just sit there, depending on whether property prices go up or down, or what does the Government intend to do? Given that the former Minister for Finance, Mr. McCreevy, announced from the Taoiseach's chair in the Chamber that he was going to move 10,000 public servants over three years to 53 locations, this has not worked out the way the Government intended. Mr. McCreevy said that the Government should be judged on its success in achieving its targets, but it is clear that this is one target that has not been met.

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