Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)

It is probably a phenomenon that will last into the future, and there could be some coincidences with regard to the Government Departments being moved. It is no coincidence either that many Senators gave very positive and enthusiastic pitches for towns within their own constituencies – not that Senators have constituencies, but they might have in a future situation. I myself have been the subject of a number of pitches, and I feel that towns and communities which make very positive pitches are the ones that should be looked at.

Much has been made of the numbers of civil servants anxious to move. There has been a major over-statement in this regard. A figure of 18,000 has been suggested and that is not realistic. Many of those civil servants would have made numerous applications, and there is a lot of re-recording there. Senator Browne suggested that the number of people in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform who have sought a move exceeds the number of people actually working there.