Aidan Davitt (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The current national development plan runs to 2020 and its successor will be in place until 2040, by which point it is predicted the population will have increased by 1 million. As Senators will be aware, the bias shown towards Dublin has created serious logistical problems. In the past 20 years, an excellent road network has been constructed, which means there is nothing to prevent major urban development outside Dublin. The Minister speaks about such development but if he is serious about it, he should row back on the decision taken by the previous Government to put a stop to decentralisation. In Mullingar, where I live, more than €2 million was paid for a centrally located site that was fenced and shovel ready. It was to be used for a new Department of Education and Skills office in the town. Approximately 300 people took job offers and were ready to move to Mullingar before the plug was pulled on the project by the previous Government. I do not wish to make a party political issue of this decision but it is now up to the Minister to press ahead with this project to advance the national development plan.

The decentralisation programme was shelved for financial reasons and should be reintroduced under the national development plan. The site to which I referred in Mullingar is ready to roll and provides an ideal opportunity for a decentralisation project. I impress on the Leader the need to speak to the Minister for Education and Skills to find out whether he will roll out the 300 jobs promised to the town in a new departmental facility.