Michael Brennan (Progressive Democrats)

I second the motion.

I fully support the national policy to bring Departments to the regions. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, to the House and wish him well in his role in this development. It is important we facilitate in every way the public service organisations, the civil servants and their families who are moving to the regions from Dublin. We well understand the problems such a move might cause for some families when opportunities for promotion become available down the country. It is important we keep the political momentum for the implementation of decentralisation policies on course to ensure that local housing and amenities policies make the decentralisation programme work to everyone's benefit. We should also encourage the programmes of interaction between councils and decentralised public services so that the learning and information sharing takes place in both directions, which will be welcomed in all the regions.

It is great to see 10,300 public service jobs coming to the 53 centres in 25 counties outside Dublin. It is a vote of confidence by the Government in rural Ireland and its future. In all local authorities throughout the country, the decentralisation programme has been welcomed. It is above politics. When the national spatial strategy was announced, it was a boost to look forward to Civil Service jobs coming to the regions. I am particularly delighted to see those jobs coming to the mid-west region. I am convinced it will make a better Ireland for all and wish the Government every success in the implementation of this programme.