Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Amendment No. 6 specifies that the budget rule be achieved in a manner that is in compliance with economic growth, job creation and the delivery of high-quality public services.

Amendment No. 7 stipulates that the plan shall outline how any revenue and expenditure measures will contribute to the objectives of greater income equality, social inclusion and poverty reduction. This echoes what I have already said, namely, that we need to take cognisance of what is happening to people and that while it is all fine and well to attempt to reach these targets, we must also bear in mind how these measures will contribute to Government-stated objectives.

Amendment No. 8 seeks to insert in page 7 of the Bill, between lines 14 and 15, a subsection stipulating that all revenue and expenditure measures contained in the plan must be subject to equality and anti-poverty impact assessments, the details of which will be published as appendices to the plan. Under this legislation and the treaty to which we have signed up, the Government will be compelled to put this plan before the Houses of the Oireachtas. This plan will include the nature and size of the revenue and expenditure measures to be taken. This is similar to what is in the troika plan, namely, how much money will be raised in tax and how much money will be cut from spending. It will also include the sub-sectors where these revenue and expenditure measures will take place. Like the troika plan, it will identify either social welfare, a household tax or other measures. However, while plans may be inching towards reaching their targets, they are failing in respect of the wider economy and the citizens. Nobody should shy away from the idea of having such a plan equality-proofed and subject to an anti-poverty impact assessment, particularly in a week where the Department of Social Protection released a report showing that one in ten people are suffering from food poverty. It is crucial that this type of assessment be carried out regarding what is happening to individuals.

Amendment No. 9 is very simple and stipulates that the plan would require the approval of the Houses of the Oireachtas. There has been considerable discussion and fancy footwork about reforming these institutions and ensuring the Opposition has a role to play and functions are enhanced. As I said on Second Stage, this plan is very similar to the troika plan. With regard to specifying the period over which these adjustments will apply, will it be one year or two, three or four years? The plan is also very similar to the troika plan in that it specifies the annual targets, the revenue and expenditure measures to be taken and the sub-sectors in which they are to be taken. It is crucially important that this plan would have the support of the Houses of the Oireachtas so amendment No. 9 says the plan shall only be adopted following the approval of the Oireachtas. Again, it is not something anybody should shy away from.

Amendment No. 10 relates to subsection (5) which stipulates that if the Government considers that a failure to comply with the budgetary rule is likely to occur, it may, within two months, prepare and lay a statement before the Dáil, outlining the steps the Government intends to take to avoid such a failure. Given that previous amendments that have been ruled out of order, I am surprised this one has not been ruled out of order. This amendment deletes that line and changes the emphasis. It proposes to delete all words including "outlining" in line 32 down to and including "failure" in line 33 and substitute the following: "outlining the reasons it considers non-compliance with the budgetary rule to be in the best social and economic interests of the citizens and the state". It changes the focus and says that if we believe the rules are not to be complied with, a statement should be laid before the Dáil stating why the Government believes it is in the best interests of the State and the citizens not to comply with the budgetary rules at this point in time.