asked the Minister for the Public Service if he will make a statement on Government policy regarding the decentralisation of Departments.
39.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Decentralisation of State Departments.
38.
asked the Minister for the Public Service the steps that have been taken since April, 1973, to implement Government policy on decentralisation of State departments; and if he will make a statement on this matter.
40.
asked the Minister for the Public Service if he will make a statement on Government policy regarding the regionalisation of Government offices.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 38, 39 and 40 together.
As the Deputy is aware, arrangements are in hand for the transfer from Dublin of selected sections of the Department of Education to Athlone and of the Department of Lands to Castlebar. In July, 1973, a contract was placed for the Castlebar offices. In February last a contract was placed for the Athlone offices. Work is in progress on the erection of the new offices at both centres. Further, there have been discussions with the two Departments and with staff interests about the staffing of the offices. These discussions are continuing.
The Government favour the decentralisation of Departments.
Are we to take it from the Minister's reply that no steps other than those initially taken by the Fianna Fáil Government have been taken by this Government to further a policy—whether or not they have one—of decentralisation? I should like to point out that Question No. 40 does not refer to decentralisation but to regionalisation of Government offices which is a different question altogether.
I understand that, having put down the question, Deputy Molloy was consulted on this matter and indicated that it was his view that decentralisation and regionalisation meant the same thing. It was on that basis that the replies were given.
That is not true. Could the Minister answer my first question?
I am informing the Deputy that that was my understanding of the matter. As to the other part of the question I can assure him that, unlike the Government who were wonderful at producing words but not action, we have taken action and work is now in progress in Castlebar and Athlone which compares more than favourably with the inaction before we assumed office.
As the Minister has given misleading information to the House I want to say that I was contacted in relation to Question No. 40. I explained to the official who rang me that what I had in mind was the regionalisation of Government offices, in other words, the establishment of central buildings where Government Departments could be represented in regions throughout the country and that for the western region the community could approach——
The Deputy is making a statement.
——the various sections located in those regional buildings as against decentralisation of one particular Department.
This has happened in the past and I expect it to happen on a growing scale in the future particularly now that decentralisation has been put in hand and the growth of remote areas is being accelerated by the Government.