Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 14 September 2022
Committee on Budgetary Oversight
Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (Resumed)
Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source
To build on what the Minister said, it is my experience that there has been a significant change in this area in Departments that come to the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform and Finance. I have definitely seen in recent years that when Ministers and their officials are bringing forward proposals they are couching them more in terms of what impact they could have on children and vulnerable groups in society. It is well beyond the macro effect on society and the economy. When specific proposals are brought forward it is increasingly being done with reference to groups and cohorts in society that Departments are trying to do good by. To pick up on what was implicit in the Chairman's question, it is far from being evaluated at the end, which is when it happens more formally. Before we reach the end, there has been a big change in how proposals are developed and then pitched to Government.
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