Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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In the Government submission from the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, there is no reference to the constitutional issues raised by Article 17 of the Constitution. The submission contains many pats on the head and the Ministers say that they wish to talk to us and really listen, and it is all covered in inclusive language. However these constitutional issues go to the nub of the question, not just for this committee but for the whole of the Dáil and Seanad, in terms of the abilities of Members of the Oireachtas to make proposals that have budget implications.

A lot of the Chairman's suggestions are excellent and meaty but until we resolve that issue, or get some sort of guidance on it, we are in a vacuum. We should be as disciplined with the vacuum as we can be today.