John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Ministers. The Minister, Deputy Donohoe, has always been very generous with his time in coming before this committee and has made himself available more than most. I welcome my colleague, Deputy Michael McGrath, to his first budgetary oversight scrutiny and extend very best wishes to him, on my behalf and I am sure on behalf of the committee, in the onerous task that confronts him. I welcome some comments in both their scripts on developments and the evolution of processes that emerged from budgetary oversight in the previous term, including equality budgeting. I acknowledge the movement that has been made on that. I am also excited about the well-being initiative, which the Taoiseach announced today, with respect to budgeting, which I also acknowledge.

What views have both Ministers on the one positive aspect of Covid, namely, the pent-up savings that have occurred during the past 12 months and that will probably continue this year, in terms of budgetary processes and public expenditure and what would the European views be on that? What are the pluses and minuses for the economy in that respect? My party colleague, the Minister, Deputy McGrath, might reply first.