Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I do not know whether the Department of Finance has included the figures but, on the basis of the new system, last week's book is not like the old Book of Estimates; it is based on the existing level of service. I do not believe there could be a figure. I hope I am not proved wrong in half an hour but I do not believe the figure for a benchmarking report that has not yet been issued could be included in respect of the existing level of service. However, as I stated, the Department of Finance will, before the budget, have to make provision for a ballpark figure it believes will cover the first phase of benchmarking in 2008. I am only assuming the benchmarking payments will be phased, as they were in the last case. I will not know until the report is published whether Mr. Dan O'Keeffe S.C. will state they should be phased or whether the Department of Finance will state — probably more correctly — they should be phased over a three-year period. Provision in this regard will have to be made but it will not be made until budget time.

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