John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

One telling comment from the Minister of State in this debate was the phrase "following appropriate consultation." More than anything else, this is where the idea of the decentralisation scheme announced last year has fallen down. There has not been the appropriate prior consultation to which the Minister referred today. He talks about it now but much of the consultation should have taken place immediately before the announcement was made in last December's budget.

Senator Leyden asked where I and Fine Gael stand in regard to decentralisation. For his benefit and that of the House, I restate that I am fully in favour of decentralisation. A number of my party colleagues expressed their particular personal views——