Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have received apologies from Deputy Donnelly. A pilot approach to gender budgeting has been adopted in the Revised Estimates for public services 2018, published in December. At last week's session we engaged with officials from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to discuss the general budget indicators that form part of that pilot. Today the committee will meet with representatives from the National Women's Council of Ireland, NWCI, to consider the equality budgeting initiative in greater detail.

Before we invite them into the meeting we are going into-----

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Before we go into private session, I acknowledge the documents I sent this morning from the Fórsa trade union have been circulated. The documents refer to the tax exemption campaign it has undertaken in terms of their union subscriptions. I thank the Chair for circulating the documents and ask if at some point in our discussions of budget 2019 we might have some time to discuss those particular issues.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I was delighted to circulate the documents. It is a worthwhile topic the Deputy has raised. We will get a chance to look at that in more detail I hope.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I raised a parliamentary question with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, and he shot it down pretty completely. He cited the review done in 2016. I am happy to share his reply with the Chair and the committee. However, it was a pretty straight shooting down of the proposals.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It can form part of our discussion. However, we are the Committee on Budgetary Oversight and we can-----

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We can make recommendations.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

-----have a right to look at it and make recommendations. I think that will come up. If there is nothing else we will go into private session.