Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Finance if Ministers can now replace agencies earmarked for decentralisation with different agencies or departmental sections; the agencies or Departments previously earmarked for decentralisation that are expected to do so; the expected number of Departments or agencies to be affected by this new measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19263/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's policy on completion of the programme is unchanged. I have no plans to change either its scale or its scope.

It has always been the case that the responsibility for the implementation of the programme in each Department rests with the Minister of the Department. The Decentralisation Programme as announced in December 2003 was a government decision. Any Minister who wishes to make changes to the programme will therefore have to seek the approval of the Government.