Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Arising from this, the Government provided €72 million in an envelope for decentralisation in 2009. What proportion of money has been spent on decentralisation? The Government also made a decision that, arising from the general economic situation, no further expenditure will take place on the acquisition of accommodation for decentralisation unless it was vetted by the decentralisation implementation group. What has happened in respect of the decision? Is information available from the decentralisation implementation group? There are 35 locations where a review is pending in 2011. What will happen to the sites in those cases? Many were acquired at exorbitant prices. They have devalued as a consequence of the general situation. Perhaps the Taoiseach has information on that.

Does the Taoiseach have information on the cost of maintaining empty buildings? The State owns quite a number of buildings in the decentralisation process that are lying empty. Given that we are a fortnight from the budget and given the projections for next year, is the decentralisation process still alive or is this just another sham, saying a review will take place in 2011 when the world and its mother knows that in many of these locations nothing will happen in respect of the announcements made many years ago by the then Minister, Charlie McCreevy?

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