Joe O'Toole (Independent)

We need to examine these things. It will be impossible to implement the decentralisation proposal in three years. The idea that this can be achieved has raised people's hackles. This regularly happens when a good idea is brought forward. There should be a discussion on the principle of the issue and a discussion on its implementation. Everybody gets confused when the principle is lost because implementation difficulties are encountered. It is a fact that this cannot be done in three years, but I think it could be done in ten years. I believe that approximately one quarter of those working in Departments in Dublin would be happy to move from Dublin. New recruits could be located outside Dublin over a ten-year period, which is approximately one quarter of a career. The target can be met by natural evolution. Approximately half of a Department could be located elsewhere in this way, which involves evolution and voluntary movement, rather than persuasion. If one told people to proceed in this way, but to move to Dublin if they wanted further promotion, one would suddenly encounter a completely different attitude. People will no longer want to rush to Dublin if they can be promoted to a senior position in their provincial bases. We need to consider the matter in this light.

The implementation of the plan should take place in a much more organic fashion. Senator Bradford pointed out that somebody had promised 200 jobs in a place where there were only 80 people working. If this is true, it brings the whole thing into disrepute. Knowing Senator Bradford, I do not think he would have brought forward that suggestion if he did not believe it to be true.