There was an article last week on 24 September by Kevin Doyle of the Irish Independent which said that there was a new decentralisation plan to allow civil servants to move out of the capital to the regions. I welcome the initiative by the Minister of State, Deputy Boxer Moran, who suggested that there should be a full review in the budget of the benefit of a decentralisation scheme. He suggested Athlone, which was hardly a surprise, and Sligo, areas he felt would benefit from a regional point of view.

The decentralisation initiative taken some years ago was a great success, contrary to the negative point of view raised by the Fine Gael Party, in particular, which never wanted decentralisation. I was very proud to be involved, as a Teachta Dála, in arranging to bring about the decentralisation of the office of the Registrar of Deaths, Births and Marriages to Convent Road, Roscommon, in beautiful new offices and the Land Registry office to the Golf Links Road.

I thought the late Seán Doherty had done that.

These have brought great benefit to the town of Roscommon. Seán Doherty and I certainly worked together as a team. I recommend that Senator Conway works with his team down in Clare-----

I call on Senator Conway not to make any more interruptions, which might be more beneficial.

Decentralisation has brought great regional benefits to towns like Carrick-on-Shannon, Longford, Castlerea, to which the Prison Service decentralised a prison facility, Sligo, Letterkenny and Cavan. They have all benefitted greatly. The point made by the Minister of State, Deputy Boxer Moran, was that with the great difficulty concerning office space in Dublin and accommodation, there is great potential in the further decentralisation of sections of Departments. We have adequate space in Roscommon to bring about a further decentralisation. I recommend strongly that this be given careful consideration. In the Land Registry offices recently I met an individual who was all the way from Ennis, County Clare, who had come to Roscommon to check on his registration. The office is providing a tremendous service there for the public.

On the issue of decentralisation, there is a lot to be said for a review of the checking-in system which obtains in the Dáil and the Seanad. Some people are better off being engaged on their computer and registering the fact that they are active working certain days in their offices, the credit for which Members should be allowed.

Sometimes it is a question of the use of space and technology. We should be the first to use technology to improve the situation here in Leinster House which in relation to climate alone, would save a good deal of emissions from diesel and petrol. Will the Leader arrange a discussion on this with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, to see where exactly he is going. There is space. I am sure my colleagues from Roscommon loved decentralisation but none of them ever supported it.