Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As I said from the outset, I am happy to support this motion and I believe it should be passed unanimously but, as I interpret the debate so far, it is falling along Government-Opposition lines for various reasons, such as not letting someone get one over on someone else. At the end of the day the committee is unanimous in wanting the information, so the question is about the process. I agree with some of the previous speakers that there is a timeframe issue here which does not allow for writing a letter and going back and forth. The motion, however, may not be clear and specific about an adequate time. The Government may turn around and give us the information a week before the budget, which would be inadequate. That would not be acceptable.

I support the motion but I want to try to move this on. We will be sitting tomorrow. The committee is of the view that the briefing given to the independent advisory council should be given to the committee at the same time. Can we ask for clarification of the Minister's response in which he says he is open and amenable? Does that mean he will give us the same information and the same forecast and briefing at the same time as he gives it to the council? We should say that we expect a response by tomorrow. If we do not receive that response the motion could be deferred until tomorrow and if that response is not forthcoming or positive the committee should consider using its independence and calling for the information to be provided. In order to do this in a united way I suggest that, as we are sitting tomorrow, we ask for clarification. I have already said that I welcome the Minister's statement, although I have serious questions about what it means. We should get clarification about whether this means what is in Deputy Dooley's motion - in other words, that it will be the same information - and we should clarify that we want it at the same time, not a week or a couple of days before the budget. In that case, we could defer the motion for a day.