Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

It was unfortunate that the budget debate disappeared from the clár very quickly, denying some of us an opportunity to speak. I am worried by the failure to correctly identify the total amount accruing from Revenue towards year end. As a result, ten days after the budget we discovered the Government was much better off — in the region of €1.8 billion — than we thought it was. If the figures accruing to Revenue are out by €1.8 billion, the calculations are not correct. For the integrity of the Department of Finance and its advisers we must examine the implications of this episode. There was a time in this country when a miscalculation of that nature would have caused serious rumbles across the entire financial services area. While the Government may rejoice in the fact that it had more money that it thought, it does not go down well in international circles where it is questioned how good are our systems and our great administration. If they do not stand up to international scrutiny, they do not stand up at all. Far from patting themselves on the back, the members of the Government should take full account of the need to be as near as possible to dead reckoning.

I remember an occasion some years ago when the budgetary outturns were miscalculated or wrong to the extent of £40 million. There was a public outcry and absolute uproar. It does not happen any more because so many billions fall off the table that a billion here and a billion there does not matter. If that is the attitude of Government, I assure the Minister of State that the time is coming when the end of the runway will be in sight. It could be brought about as a result of the Government's hype and inability.

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