Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Doherty has made the case very well. In recent years, although not so much this year given the nature of the fiscal position going into the budget, very often the sting in the tail of the budget was in the detailed measures announced by line Ministers on the expenditure side on budget day or in the days after the budget. A budget must be assessed in the round and in totality so it is not just an issue for the Department of Finance. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform must be centrally involved in this so we can have proper assessment of the impact of the budget in its entirety on various sections of society. It would allow proper debate on the type of choices we have the country. It would allow for a better debate on future budgets. I strongly endorse the amendment.