Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

First, as I am sure the Minister is aware, as we have raised this issue with the Department in the past, this is simply not acceptable. We are going into an election cycle and Opposition parties have to prepare alternative budgets. This is the first time the general Government balance has not been set out in a summer economic statement. As the Minister stated they are set out in the stability programme update, SPU, why are they not repeated here? The SPU only contains three years of provisions. Are they still the general Government balance? Is that the same general Government balance? It could not be, because the expenditure has been increased so the balance has had to change. Why has it not been set out? Is it because of the revenue and fluctuations as regards corporation tax? If I submit a parliamentary question, will the Minister give us that information because how can any political party prepare a manifesto for an election that it expects in October when the Department and Ministers have, for the first time, not provided general Government balances to Opposition parties? It is simply not acceptable.