Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage

2:20 pm

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I reiterate my earlier point. While there is a very open debate on these matters in Cabinet, I am not in a position to give the Deputy chapter and verse because to do so would be unconstitutional. However, I can give her the assurance she seeks. The process is that my Department will write to each line Minister, as we have done already in the context of this year's budget, and the Departments will then propose measures for general consideration. In welding the entire budget together, there is a collective discussion at Cabinet at which priorities may be changed or new and separate priorities set. This is done on a collective basis with every member of the Government involved.