Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is a good follow-through question. We should ask whether other changes in accounting rules might affect corporation tax receipts positively or negatively. It is good for Ireland that the changes have had a positive effect, but the opposite could also have been the case. We will ask whether there are other potential changes. We will also ask what Revenue and the Department of Finance are doing to estimate the impact of the changes on receipts. A few years ago, we used to have big debates here about the inadequacy of the estimates of receipts of taxation prepared by Revenue and the Department. I know that, depending on the economic cycle, it can be difficult to make such estimates, but Revenue and the Department should have known about this one. We will have representatives from the Revenue Commissioners before us on 1 November.

The following week - on 8 November - we will consider matters related to cervical cancer and thalidomide litigation. We will examine how the State Claims Agency is handling all of these cases. The thalidomide issue is long-standing.

On 15 November we will ask the Department of Health about the hepatitis C fund, which has cost €1.5 billion to date. We really need to know what lessons have been learned. If lessons had been learned in dealing with the hepatitis C issue, we would not be heading into what we are heading into in dealing with the cervical cancer issue, potentially at major cost to the Exchequer. I feel lessons are never learned.