Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I move amendment No. 5:

In page 6, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following:

"3. The Minister shall, within 3 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann an analysis of the tax changes in this Act, and the total of tax changes and spending adjustments of Budget 2015, setting out the continuing impact on people based on their gender, income, age, marital and disability status.".

This amendment calls on the Minister to prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann an analysis of the tax changes in this Act and the total of tax changes and spending adjustments of budget 2015 setting out the continuing impact on people based on their gender, income, age, marital and disability status within three months of the passing of the Act. This is one of the proposals I have been bringing before this committee year and after. We must acknowledge that there has been some progress in respect of this matter. There has been an improvement in the data and types of tables presented in the budget itself and the Committee on Budgetary Oversight has done some good work in this regard. I am sure that, along with others, the committee's report focuses on this issue.

I am sure the Minister is aware that the committee has agreed the broad principles relating to equality budgeting, which includes the following statement that budgetary changes should be progressive and proofed for equality, anti-poverty and regional impact. The amendment challenges the Minister to carry out that report within three months, setting out the equality impact for this year. I am mindful that part of this does not fall under his remit but the aim is to get a Government response. This is an opportunity for that to happen. Hopefully, next year, when the Committee on Budgetary Oversight has bedded down more, there will be a more formal way to for this to be done for next year's budget. In the mean time, there is a gap and the Department, working in conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, which will be led by the Department of Finance, should agree to carry out this report. It is in keeping with the spirit of what the Committee on Budgetary Oversight has agreed to do. It was not possible to do it this year because of the timeframe involved. It would be a welcome first step and something that could input into our discussions in the other committee, which members of this committee belong to. For the Department to do this would be a good and genuine step.