Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Norris for the correction. At the time of the launch of the national spatial strategy, a decentralisation plan was launched by the Government of the time. Fianna Fáil announced various initiatives around the country where Departments were to be decentralised to the various constituencies. It would be timely to invite the Minister of State responsible for the Office of Public Works, OPW, to the House to review the plan. The OPW purchased many sites around the country and we should know, as a matter of public record, what happened to all those sites. Are they in use and what did they cost the taxpayer? I am aware of one in Dungarvan in County Waterford that had a substantial purchase cost, with the view to decentralising services to that site. It lies vacant and is not being used. It was an investment by the taxpayer at the time so we should review the decentralisation plan and learn from the mistakes of the past. We should get behind the new national development plan, Ireland 2040.