Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising that point, which I accept would be 100% valid in a normal year. Because of Covid, when it came to the time of the summer economic statement, all resources in the Department went instead working on the July stimulus package. Essentially, we had to make a choice as to whether to do the usual or to work on the July stimulus package. Those working in the Department would have produced that every other year and will do so next year. I accept there is a gap in the information but the Government took a strategic decision to progress the July stimulus. That is why we did the July stimulus in place of the normal report that should have been issued in the summer. I think people understand that it was probably the right call.