Mary Henry (Independent)

Perhaps Members will recall that when they were children, they were frequently given puzzles to try to encourage them to figure out how one would travel from A to B, etc. The position was similar when I read the reports. It was unbelievable.

I feel very bitter about this matter because I was one of the few people in this entire nation who supported the Hanly plan. Under the decentralisation programme, places which could have been important in the context of Hanly were treated differently. I do not know what happened to the gateways, spokes and hubs but they have re-emerged in the new national development plan. Something must be done to encourage joined-up thinking in respect of the geographical aspect. I do not know if such thinking exists in respect of the economic aspect because I am not an expert in that regard. From a geographical point of view, I am of the opinion that if one is determined to develop a hospital in an area, one would make it an important part of the infrastructure therein. The dispute that appears to be ongoing between Mullingar, Tullamore and Portlaoise is unbelievable, especially when one considers that Athlone is a hub. The entire matter must be given careful consideration from a geographical point of view.

Decentralisation is a good ideal but I wish it had taken place over a period of 40 years. I feel very sorry for all those senior civil servants whose jobs have been moved down the country. One of these individuals informed me last evening that he actually liked his job and is not quite sure what he is going to be doing from now on. There are senior civil servants who are in no position to move, who are in jobs they like and who now, through no fault of their own, will be obliged to spend the latter part of their careers in employments for which they may not be suitable. I regret that because I have a great deal of respect for our Civil Service.