Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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On amendment No. 11, I am unconvinced that the creation of yet another formalistic impact assessment process can add any value. Such a process cannot substitute for the ongoing responsibility of any public body to manage its functions effectively or for the ultimate responsibility of the Government and this House in our democratic system to make political choices - sometimes hard choices - on the allocation of resources within the parameters required by considerations of prudence, Ireland's EU obligations, the budgetary decisions as between levels of expenditure and taxation and as between retention of income by those who earn it versus redistribution to those in need via the social welfare system and other measures of the democratically elected Government of the day and to the approval of the national Parliament. The reality is that resources are limited and additional expenditure demands or costs arising, for whatever reason, would have to be paid for through expenditure reductions elsewhere or through the raising of additional revenue. Nothing in this amendment can change that reality or be of any help to Government in making the difficult decisions that it was elected to make on behalf of the people as we work to restore our economic sovereignty. I am opposing the amendment.