Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

For the Deputy's information, I will read out a procedural note to him:

No decisions are taken by the committee in relation to the consideration of Estimates. The committee is only empowered to "consider" the Estimates and cannot alter, amend or vote on them. The committee must send a message to the Dáil when it has completed its consideration of the Estimates and it cannot decide not to do this. Under Standing Order 87 the message must be to the effect that the Select Committee has completed its consideration of an Estimate referred to it by the Dáil. There is no provision for the expression of an opinion by the committee on the Estimates in its message. As the Standing Order prescribes the nature of the message to be sent, the content is not a matter for decision by the committee.