Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My question was how would we define the model to be used in calculating the structural deficit. Will it be defined by the Department of Finance or will the European model be used? Will the Minister publicise how the structural deficit will be defined?

The Minister has suggested that the structural deficit, in how it was calculated in 2007 and previous years, was probably inaccurate. He is asking to enshrine in domestic legislation - forget about the treaty debate - a rule here and I want to know how that rule will be calculated in future.