John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I did not realise that previously.

We are marking a new departure. Many people have referred to it as the first step in what is termed "new politics". We have a task for the next 30 days to chart what role the budgetary committee will play ultimately. I thank members for putting me in this position. The clerk to the committee has given me documents which I am supposed to go through. The agenda is: draft work programme of the committee to cover the review of arrangements to enhance engagement in respect of the following issues: scrutiny of revenue raising proposals; scrutiny of expenditure proposals and associated performance; review of the general fiscal position; establishment of the proposed parliamentary budget office; and review of Standing Orders and statutory provisions arising from the proposals made in the OECD report, Budgetary Oversight by Parliament: Ireland; and any other business.

Since we do not have a full draft work programme yet, we should not have a particularly long discussion. The Dáil, by order on 5 May, mandated the committee to draw up a blueprint of how budget scrutiny will work in the Houses of the Oireachtas into the future. The order was specific in asking the committee to look at "ex ante and ongoing engagement in a manner intended to increase the capacity of the Houses to exercise influence and achieve accountability throughout the budgetary cycle". We have, as the clerk to the committee outlined, until 29 June to report back to the Standing Sub-committee on Dáil Reform. Members will be aware that the issue of budget scrutiny by the Houses of the Oireachtas has been dealt with in a number of reports, including those by the OECD and banking inquiry. The issue is also dealt with in publications such as the report and evidence given to the Oireachtas banking inquiry, the programme for Government and the report of the Standing Sub-committee on Dáil Reform. We are required to hear from public bodies that are significantly affected by the proposals the committee will consider.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has already written to the Ceann Comhairle outlining changes made by Government to bring key budgetary information to the Houses earlier and has indicated he is available to attend the committee. It is also likely the Minister for Finance and his officials will attend the committee to deal with the scrutiny of revenue raising proposals. We also need to look at the procedural, administrative and statutory changes so the provisions of Standing Orders will need to be examined. We also need to look at how costings of budgetary proposals are done including costings from parties and groups in the Dáil. Another element to be considered is how the work of the budgetary oversight committee that will be established after we have reported will engage with other sectoral committees, that is the other committees for each of the Government Departments, especially the sectoral committees dealing with finance, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Taoiseach's Department. These will form part of our work programme which we will discuss today. We will be joined by Oireachtas officials shortly but perhaps members will comment first on this arrangement.