Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

From his experience as president of a major nationwide organisation, he knows the needs of rural Ireland. I know of no better person to assist in this regard. In last year's budget Deputy McCreevy had the commitment and foresight to ensure that Ireland gains an urban-rural balance by announcing details of a major decentralisation programme. This was a monumental and far-reaching decision because for the first time entire Departments and their Ministers were moved outside Dublin. This did not happen in previous decentralisation announcements. Some eight Departments and their staff are to be moved outside Dublin, which gives weight and credibility to the national spatial strategy. The latter strategy was not the only one that had to be followed, however. Towns within the national spatial strategy have been included, as well as those that were not, including Roscommon.