Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

It is open to all Oireachtas committees, as the Deputy knows, to go through the Estimates in detail. We brought forward the annual statement in order that people would be able to see that we had done what we said we would do, and learn that targets were reached, or exceeded. There is a great opportunity in the committee system, based on the budgetary reforms we have already introduced, for Members who wish to do so to become involved in the discussion.

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