Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)

As I stated, the Government is committed to the full delivery of the decentralisation plan. For this reason, no concerns arise at this stage. Both Bus Éireann and Fáilte Ireland have prepared detailed implementation plans, which the relevant Minister and his or her Secretary General and departmental staff have a responsibility to implement. Today, the Office of Public Works appointed a person to take full charge of decentralising its headquarters from St. Stephen's Green to Trim. The individual in question will assume responsibility primarily for personnel and all attaching issues. The OPW is, therefore, moving ahead.

While I am not certain as regards the Senator's question, he could raise it with the two relevant Ministers. I understand a substantial number of Bus Éireann employees live in Munster as the company has operations in Tralee, Killarney and Cork city. While I have seen its implementation plan, there is no reason Bus Éireann should not fit into the decentralisation plans. If the Senator were to seek out the company's implementation plan, he could apprise himself of its enthusiasm or otherwise.

It is my responsibility in the Office of Public Works to find property and accommodation solutions for the decentralisation programme. Phase one was based on the enthusiasm of those who signed up on the central applications facility. Although attracting sufficient numbers proved to be a problem initially, as I stated previously, the CAF was designed for civil servants, whereas Bus Éireann and Fáilte Ireland employees operate outside the Civil Service. The process works much better when in-house implementation plans are drawn up.