Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

The Leas-Chathaoirleach has been very generous in giving time to those on the opposite benches.

The main point of the decentralisation debate is that the homework was not done beforehand. The announcement was made in the budget, where it had no place. In the budget, the Minister should make announcements concerning changes in archaic and outdated limits in the social welfare area which are there for 11 years, for example, in the area of family income supplement. The decentralisation programme had no place in the budget debate last year and there was no consultation with the unions. When the Government began talking to the unions it realised there were major problems. That is why we now have 2,000 people moving instead of 10,000. That is the main difficulty the Opposition has with decentralisation. The purpose of decentralisation is to ensure that not only will we have as good a public service as we currently have, but perhaps even better. The Government, however, has fallen at the first hurdle, that of transferring the Departments.

I welcome the announcement about Carlow but I acknowledge the role played in the decision by Carlow County Council. It gave the Department a free site in a prime location in Carlow town and offered to fast-track the planning process. It put together a very good package which the Minister and Government could not refuse. The decision was the result of the pro-active initiative taken by the Carlow local authority and I would not like to see the Minister of State take all the glory for that decision.

I am surprised that Senator Dooley in his contribution regarding Shannon did not mention Enterprise Ireland, which has now been shelved. He spoke about Kilrush but Enterprise Ireland is now gone. Senator John Paul Phelan spoke about Kilkenny city and Thomastown, which has lost the Health and Safety Authority.