Charlie McCreevy (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I am very pleased to be here this evening to address this motion on decentralisation. The issue has been of considerable interest to Members of the House and I have participated in a number of Adjournment debates on the issue in the Seanad over the past few years.

Since I initially announced the Government's decision to proceed with a new programme of decentralisation in December 1999, the issue of decentralisation has generated considerable interest both in and outside the Houses of the Oireachtas. Interestingly, the Government was, until 3 December last, on the receiving end of criticism for not having taken a decision, but since then we have been criticised on a number of spurious grounds. I intend to explain the background behind the decision which I announced on budget day and to address some of the criticisms made in the wake of that decision, including those included in the amendment to the motion tabled by the Fine Gael Party.

From the time that I first announced the Government's intention to proceed with a new programme, I was determined that it should be comprehensive, one which would have a real impact, address the issue of balanced regional development and make a statement about the Government's confidence in provincial Ireland. While my colleagues and I in Government were aware of a demand for decentralisation throughout the country, I am not sure that any of us could have anticipated its extent. I think by now that anybody with an interest in the issue knows that my Department received submissions from some 130 urban centres in every county in the country. In addition, hundreds of parliamentary questions and numerous Adjournment matters made the case for the inclusion of various towns throughout the country.

The fact is that the Government has now taken its decision and all its attention is now focused on implementing it. On budget night, I announced the membership of an implementation committee, chaired by Mr. Phil Flynn. Mr. Flynn's business and trade union background makes him an ideal person to chair such a committee. In addition, the other members of the committee bring a breadth of expertise which will be particularly beneficial in preparing the implementation plan.

This committee has been hard at work since its establishment and has been charged with producing an implementation plan by the end of next month. I am fully aware of the onerous nature of this timescale, but the Government and I consider it important to build on the momentum which has been created by the programme's announcement.

Senators will also be aware that a special Cabinet sub-committee on decentralisation has been established, comprising the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and me. The chairman of the implementation committee will report directly to the Cabinet sub-committee.

Senators will also be aware that the Office of Public Works placed advertisements in the national newspapers in late December seeking proposals for suitable office accommodation or suitable sites with either planning permission or appropriate zoning. By the closing date for the submission of proposals, the OPW had received almost 680 proposals covering all 53 locations included in the new programme. I have this year provided a special sum of €20 million to meet any up-front investment in 2004. This is essentially a down payment on the Government's commitment to the programme's implementation.

If there is one thing I want Senators to leave the House with this evening it is a very clear sense of the Government's commitment to the full implementation of the programme of decentralisation. While my Department has long had responsibility for the policy of decentralisation, individual Ministers are taking personal responsibility for the delivery of that part of the programme which comes within their respective remits. In this they are actively and fully supported by the Secretaries General of Departments and the heads of offices. I am absolutely confident that the combined commitment of the political and administrative heads of Departments will ensure that full and expeditious effect will be given to the Government's decision.

There are those who would have one believe that the Government's decision was taken without any consideration for those most affected, the staff. This is simply untrue. From the very outset, I have been conscious of the tremendous human element involved. With this in mind I sought submissions from all of the Civil Service unions and took on board their observations. In addition, the Government took account of the observations of those heads of organisations who had previous experience of earlier phases of decentralisation. All of these external submissions, together with a lengthy internal examination, in the Department resulted in the overall plan which was unveiled on 3 December last.

The Government has been concerned also with operating on a "joined up" basis and has a demonstrable record in following up on that objective. It is for this reason that the decentralisation programme was not developed in isolation from all the other areas of Government policy. For example, cognisance was taken of the national spatial strategy. In the agreed programme for Government, we made it clear that we would take account of the national spatial strategy and, as the motion points out, there is a clear connection between the national development plan and the national spatial strategy and now, in a very tangible and operational way, the decentralisation programme.

It is also worth making the point that, when this programme is fully implemented, there will be a substantial presence of civil servants in virtually every gateway and hub. Furthermore, virtually all of the locations included in the programme are explicitly mentioned in the strategy. The Fine Gael amendment seems to suggest that only hub and gateway towns should have been included in the decentralisation programme. Those who hold such a view should tell that to the people of Portlaoise, Enniscorthy, Carlow, Carrick-on-Shannon, Listowel, Newcastle West, Dungarvan, Tipperary or Drogheda.