Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

The change that is occurring is radical. When Deputies are given details of the Estimates, the budget and the tax changes at the same time, they will need to know what is being proposed. Traditionally, the Estimates Volume does not reveal what is being proposed — that is revealed separately in press releases — which makes it very difficult to respond. We need to have some structure whereby the House can make sense of what is being proposed, have a meaningful debate on the budget and make decisions on funding late into the night of 5 December. This is not a trivial issue and I hope the Ceann Comhairle will put his mind to it.

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