Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

Item No. 12 deals with Revised Estimates under 41 different headings. These were first published prior to the budget last year and are now, effectively, redundant. If the money had been there to meet them they would have been dealt with in the budget. We now know there is a great shortfall in the income available to the Government so that these Estimates are a piece of nonsense. Furthermore, Members of the House cannot interfere with Estimates as presented by Government. Previously, Members could propose that money be moved from one heading to another, but that has also been prevented.

There is a real need for reform of the procedure for dealing with Estimates. Following last night's debate on the Labour Party motion on the economy, my party has no confidence in the Government's ability to deliver what was promised in the budget. The Government now admits this will not be possible. The Labour Party is opposed to taking these Estimates without debate and we will oppose the taking of the Estimate itself, subsequent to the Order of Business today.

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