Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes. In other words, we should ask what our aims are in, say, the area of equality, whether we have moved at all in that direction and whether we have left out some groups. That is the exercise I would like to see take place, with the involvement of the likes of the delegates and the committee. The work and role of the committee should be ongoing, not necessarily for just one budget, after which we all sit back and wait another six months before starting to talk about the next budget. I would like to hear the views of the delegates on this suggestion. We can put on paper what we would really like to see in a budget, which is grand, but it should be part of a process which should not only involve politicians. Very few politicians are involved in it because it is the Government, the Cabinet, that ultimately makes the decisions. If we are genuinely to take views on board, it is important that we have this two-way process before and after the budget.