Eamon Scanlon (Fianna Fail)

The mistake made was the timing for the decentralisation programme was too ambitious, but decentralisation will work over a number of years. Each day I drive along the N4, I see that the new prison offices being built in Longford are almost completed. I constantly hear from constituents that they want to move out of Dublin. Therefore, I believe there will be a good take-up of the decentralisation option and people will be delighted when the programme has settled in. Those working in Tubbercurry are delighted to be there and would prefer to be out of a job than have to return to Dublin. There are good stories to tell about decentralisation and it should not be criticised so much.

The issue of the lands bought for the new prison at Thornton Hall at a cost of €30 million has also given rise to much criticism. In Sligo recently an eleven acre plot of land without any zoning was sold for €16 million. If the Minister got 150 acres in north County Dublin for €30 million, he got the bargain of the century. If the Government wanted to sell on that land, there would be significant profit in it. It was excellent value.