Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

With regard to the budget arrangements for 5 December, Estimates will not now be published. Will the Tánaiste indicate whether the Opposition will be facilitated in terms of receiving advance information on the contents of the Estimates part of the budget? The Opposition's job will be made extraordinarily difficult if the budget and Estimates are presented in the same package without even a half hour's notice of their contents. Will the Tánaiste meet the Opposition to discuss the contents of the outlook statement, given that we will not know the levels of service provision for key Departments unless we have at least some advice about the shape of the process, particularly in regard to areas such as health and education? I do not know if it is appropriate for the Whips to raise the matter. A committee has not yet been formed to deal with finance issues so we have been unable to hold discussions with the Tánaiste.

The Government may have an absolute media strike because it will hold all the aces in terms of the Estimates and the tax and social welfare provisions, while the Opposition will have no prior information other than the copy we receive on the floor of the House of what presumably will be part of a much larger document. Previously, copies were distributed approximately ten days before the budget so that we could have an opportunity to examine the provisions. It is important for the media but it potentially puts complete control over Estimates and budget in the hands of the Government. That would represent quite a change.

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