asked the Minister for Finance when it is proposed to proceed with the erection of Government offices in Letterkenny for the Department of Social Welfare.

The decentralisation programme including provision of Government offices at Letterkenny for certain sections of the Department of Social Welfare, is under review by the Government at present.

Can I take it that the decentralisation programme will not be scrapped?

It is under review by the Government and I am not in a position to say what the result will be.

Is the Minister aware that developments are well advanced in the provision of offices at Letterkenny for the Department of Social Welfare? Can I take it that all the work done by the local authorities and Letterkenny Urban Council will not fall by the wayside?

I would remind the Deputy that the Fianna Fáil Government which came into office last year instructed the Office of Public Works to invite tenders for five of the 12 centres mentioned. These centres were Athlone, Ballina, Galway, Killarney and Sligo. The centre in Letterkenny was not then included.

Will the Minister not agree that the Fianna Fáil Government were fully committed to decentralisation, as shown by the statement the Minister has just made? Is there to be a continuation of the decentralisation programme envisaged by the Fianna Fáil Government, including offices in Letterkenny, or is the scheme to be discontinued?

It is under review by the Government and I am not a party to those considerations. No instructions to proceed to contract or invite tenders were received in regard to Letterkenny.