Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

I can speak to the Minister of State separately about the matter. My information is that at least some sections of the Revenue Commissioners are not using the CAF. For some individuals this might be causing a difficulty. Having a central applications facility should mean that either everybody is in or nobody is in. Otherwise two streams are operating and some Departments can be selective about whom they do and do not have. For the sake of fairness to the public servants involved, it is important that all applications go into the one facility.

I come back to the impact on the wider public in Roscrea and Thurles. From talking to people I know there is not only disappointment and disbelief, as other speakers have said, although we might not have thought it possible, it has engendered even greater cynicism about political decisions and when political announcements are made. There is no doubt that last December's announcement was specifically timed with six months to go to the local elections. The Government side will dispute that but there is objective evidence that was the case. To be that cynical about people's futures and about towns such as Roscrea and Thurles is appalling. We are talking about real people and communities.

The Minister of State knows that the midlands have not done as well as other parts of the State. While some towns are doing well economically, they do not match the level of growth and expansion in cities and larger towns. There have been many job losses in midland towns in recent years and that has had an impact. Decentralisation would have levelled the playing field and people would have felt that they were getting a share.

The decentralisation map now, however, concentrates on the area around the Pale within easy commuting distance of Dublin. The Government is doing that because it is easy to deliver in the short-term. It is within commuting distance and it is more likely that civil servants will take it because they can still live in Dublin and commute to Drogheda or Navan. Those areas that are doing well will do better and those areas that need to do better will not, they will not get the leg up that would have meant so much.

Others have mentioned balanced regional development, which has become a cliché. I welcome the announcement by Ryanair that it is to invest in Shannon Airport and I hope it works because the region needs a lift. If Shannon Airport develops, there are exciting prospects for tourism and the economy. If it does not work, however, there will be serious consequences. In terms of what the Government can deliver, decentralisation is a powerful tool that could help balanced regional development and this was a missed opportunity.

Entire areas have been left out and only 3,500 civil servants will now be decentralised. I appeal to the Minister of State to go back to the drawing board. Mr. Phil Flynn has delivered implementation reports that are well thought out and costed — it was interesting to see how long it will take to make this break even financially. There is a strong case to be made, however, for rolling out a balanced regional programme, even if it is over a longer period, to move beyond the Pale to areas like the Minister of State's own county. Is this the way the programme will continue and will we be completely left out? Is there any prospect of getting back in or will it never happen? What happens now will determine what the next Government will be able to do. There will be a new Government after the next election but what happens now will limit the choices of that next Administration.

The scenario now is very different. The electorate is even more cynical and towns have been let down. Roscrea and Thurles will not receive any decentralised Department and will suffer the resultant economic impact. Unfortunately, this is yet another broken Government promise, a sorry state of affairs.