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

Minister, you refer on page 9 of your witness statement to the proposed introduction of an independent budget office and can I put it to you that you would be doing democracy a service if you put such an office in place before the next election so that the proposals of the various parties could be independently costed and which would allow for informed decision making by voters at the next election? Why can't it be done in advance of the election in six months' time or whenever it is going to be?