John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

It has been completely cast aside. The recent announcement with regard to decentralisation further proves this.

Senator Mooney got hot under the collar in last year's debate on decentralisation when he emphatically stated: "It will be implemented within the timeframe." We all know this is a joke and that Senator Mooney was completely wrong. Anyone who considered the figures in last year's budget and noted the €20 million granted under the heading of promoting decentralisation would know that it could not have been developed within the 12 months since the last budget.