The Minister for Finance has not advertised for applications or submissions, yet as the Minister of State acknowledges, there is a huge volume of correspondence in the Department requesting decentralisation. Some 134 towns are vying to be included in the programme. Understandably, they all want a piece of the action, which spells trouble for the elected representatives of the Government parties. The Minister of State candidly acknowledges that there will inevitably be far more losers than winners. As a consequence, a much greater number of intensively lobbied Government Deputies and Senators will be unable to deliver to their political bases, with all the attendant consequences and political fall-out in electoral terms, with the local elections a mere 13 months away.