Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Day for her comments. She mentioned the country-specific recommendations. As Ms Day is aware, up to now Ireland's only recommendation has been to carry out the programme. It is a one-line recommendation. This is going to be the first year in which we will have some meat on the bones of that recommendation. I am wondering how that will be received by the Irish public because, as Ms Day said, there is probably a lack of awareness with regard to the semester. Everyone is aware that the bailout has finished and that we have seen the end of the troika, but the danger is that the country-specific recommendations might be seen as more diktats from Brussels. Of course that is not the case, but the fact that the semester has not been communicated sufficiently to date might play a part in that. Perhaps Ms Day would tell the committee how they have been received in other countries to date? Has there been much coverage of them when they have been published and what has been the reaction?