Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The option of going off-balance sheet was also covered by the report, that is to simply develop extra budgetary or quasi-fiscal activities. That, effectively, refers to off-balance sheet, PPPs and such like. The report does not refer to them as a positive but as a negative. Is there not a fundamental problem with the expenditure rule as it is currently written even in that limited basis? Is the Government arguing with the Commission that the rule should be amended? Does the Government accept the rule?