Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

On the same matter, I asked the Taoiseach yesterday when we can expect the published information from the taxation study group, which should be available by now, and the booklet on pensions and pay, which is normally published by the Department of Finance at this time of year. I also asked about the detailed report from the Department on the proposed budgetary changes. We had many arguments yesterday about how the savings of €400 million for this year and €1 billion for next year can be found. The issue is that while the Taoiseach said yesterday that tax revenues will be down by €3 billion next year, he has only told us where savings of €1 billion will come from. We are entitled, as a democratic Parliament, to know the intentions of the Government in regard to the other €2 billion in savings that must be found in 2009.

See this speech in context