Jim Higgins (Fine Gael)

Yet they have been afforded a special concession which will completely derail and disrupt the Stability and Growth Pact with obvious consequences. We need an immediate debate on that.

In his budget speech in December 1999 the Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, promised that by the middle of 2001 an elaborate programme involving the decentralisation of 10,000 jobs to the regions would be underway and would be completed by the end of that year. We will soon be in 2004 and there is not a word about it. This is a political hot potato because 134 towns are vying for inclusion and no one wants to take a decision which will leave the majority out before the elections. However, we need to know where the Government stands on this issue.