Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister know the quantum of the recovery fund? Why will he not provide the committee responsible for budgetary oversight with the parameters of what he is considering? I am not looking for the exact figure but an indication as to whether the recovery fund is €500 million or €5 billion. With respect, this is the budgetary oversight committee. One of the recommendations made after the last crash was that there should be scrutiny prior to budgetary announcements and no surprises on budget day. Surely, as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath has a sense of the quantum, yet he is deliberately keeping that information from us today. I am not looking for a figure that is accurate to the cent but for parameters. Are we looking at what the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council is suggesting, namely, up to €10 billion, or €5 billion or something more modest?