James Bannon (Fine Gael)

It appears that the Government could not even convince itself that decentralisation would go ahead as promised.

It is incredible that plans for decentralisation were first mooted prior to the local elections in 1999. In the run-up to the last general election it was part of An Agreed Programme for Government to be delivered by 2002. Prior to last year's local elections it was announced yet again with much fanfare in the budget. I refer to announcements by the Minister of State in the Laoighis-Offaly constituency. Decentralisation must go down in history as the most promised, broken promise. The electorate, however, are waiting on the doorsteps, waiting in the long grass, as they did last June at the local and European elections.

Approximately 4,700 other positions that featured in the budget package last year have not been mentioned in the latest report issued by the implementation committee. It is reported that the Government remains committed to moving these jobs and has announced that they will feature in a separate report in the spring. However, people should not hold their breath. It is another con job. Ministers have made promises, but should we believe them any more? The people do not believe them. They have lost the trust of the people on this and on a number of other issues. They cannot deny it.