Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I do not propose to accept the amendments proposed by Deputies Doherty and McGrath. The fiscal council has been established to address gaps in fiscal policy analysis and to provide assessments and recommendations relating to fiscal policy. Imposing a very wide mandate on the fiscal council would require much larger resources in terms of both staff and budgetary allocations. Expanding the mandate would be likely to impede the council's fulfilment of its core functions, including those specified in the treaty. Furthermore, some of the suggested functions are the job of the Government, and it is important to note that a number of bodies are supported by the State, such as the ESRI and the National Economic and Social Council, whose reports consider all aspects of policy development, including social impacts.

Additionally, we are not willing to assign other functions not outlined in this Bill to the fiscal council. We wish to ensure the fiscal council has the resources it needs to complete its core functions and expanding the functions would stretch the resources of the fiscal council to the point where its focus and attention would be taken away from its primary role, and we do not want that to happen.

Amendments adding requirements that are already covered by the requirements of the Stability and Growth Pact, and which are published in the annual stability programme update, are not necessary. Article 3 of section 2 of the 1997 surveillance and co-ordination regulation requires the State to take into account the future pension liabilities of the State, and this information is contained in the annual stability programme update. The fiscal council is required to provide an assessment of the official forecast, including an assessment of the stability programme update. There is no doubt that Deputy McGrath is aware that with this section, the fiscal council is specifically directed to the contents of the stability programme update. One of the elements is to consider the consequences of an aging population, and one of the primary consequences would be pension provision. Although it is not specifically part of the troika programme, it has become clear that it would like the Government to bring forward proposals on pensions, and we are considering that among our other options.