Joe O'Toole (Independent)

He is the artful dodger. He has played a blinder, however he did it. I accept that he did not know about decentralisation before last year's Budget Statement. I believe Senator Phelan was mistaken in what he said. However, the Senator was right to underline what had previously been said in the House. It had to be analysed and proven.

We must look at the importance of urban-rural balance and of infrastructure. All of Ireland can get its place in the sun. Decentralisation is a good idea and must be properly handled. We must consider the views of the workers' representatives and listen to what the unions have to say. We can meet most of their demands. We must look at the family requirements of the people involved in the programme. We can meet those demands. We must recognise that agencies cannot, in the main, be decentralised in the same way as Departments. Taking all of these factors together we must set a timescale which is deliberate and clear and goes beyond three or four years. I would like to see all starting times within the next ten years.

When I spoke on this question on a previous occasion I said we should hope to have the programme completed in not less than ten years. It could not be done earlier than that. That would be a reasonable objective which people could support. I would support it.