Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I will do my best to stay within the Ceann Comhairle's remit. My question is on the general responsibility of the Taoiseach as Head of Government regarding the decentralisation programme. The original announcement by the Taoiseach was that in a number of cases full Departments were being decentralised. In general Government policy terms, is it still the case that where the full Department, the Aireacht, is moving, all senior officials, including the Ministers, will move? I ask that question because next month the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Minister sitting along side the Taoiseach will be coming to my constituency; I am looking forward to a cycle lane all the way to Wexford to welcome him. Since a very fine ministerial suite will be available for him and the Ministers of State, is it Government policy that Ministers will operate from the decentralised head offices or will there be parallel Aireachtaí in Dublin as well as in decentralised offices in cases where a full Department is decentralised?

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