Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I was trying to understand it all. It has become very complex. I just wanted to express my thanks for that very useful meeting.

On Deputy Fleming's point - I will speak on the section in a moment - I agree that conditional repayment of debt would be risk-adjusted. It would cost more, but that does not mean we should not do it. We should accept that if we allow the Dáil to vote on it, a cost would be associated with it. Deputy Fleming would probably agree with me in that regard. That does not mean it is the wrong thing to do. Many of the useful democratic checks and balances that take place in here probably have a cost associated with them. There is an issue here, however. My understanding - the Minister can correct me if I am wrong - is that the Dáil does not get a say in how much is borrowed. I know that over the long term, one borrows for the gap. Obviously, the National Treasury Management Agency makes decisions on borrowing all the time. The Dáil is constitutionally responsible for all spending. As I have said, the Minister can correct me if I am wrong. My understanding is that the Dáil basically-----