Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will focus on two areas, starting with the cost pressures associated with demographic changes. The Minister mentioned the greying of the population. I am one of the people to whom he was referring. I recognise that he has allocated €500 million to address these demographic changes and the committee is working on examining them. Will he commit to supporting that work and provide the detailed information that will be requested by us to carry it out? I have three questions about the pressures mentioned. What challenges will the demographic changes present to the public finances? Will any major policy change be required in the immediate term to mitigate any of the risks? How do those increased allocations made in budget 2020 to meet the cost of demographic changes compare to what the Departments requested?

The second element is equality budgeting. Why was the equality budget statement not produced in announcing budget 2020? When will the Minister be in a position to produce an equality budget statement?