Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent)

I thank the Minister for the overview he has provided. Regarding the medium-term fiscal plan, it came in almost a lacuna in that the first plan came in during the election period with the knowledge that it would be reviewed by an incoming Government. As a result of the timing of when this plan, which Ireland is sending to Europe as our medium-term fiscal picture, appeared, there was very little scope for it to be examined and we did not really have discussion of the assumptions underpinning it, for example, some of the demographic assumptions. The Minister indicated that there are plans to submit a new plan by the summer but it would be very useful for this committee if he could unpack some of the assumptions going into the medium-term fiscal plan and the timeline for it because we may wish to provide input into it, given that it will set the picture around our fiscal relationship with the EU.