Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

When does the Government propose to publish expenditure profiles for 2009? I asked this question of the Tánaiste yesterday. It has always been the custom to have these published towards the end of January and it is very difficult for Opposition spokespersons to make informed comments on how the economy is going unless the profiles are published.

The Taoiseach referred yesterday to pensions legislation for the purposes of imposing the pensions levy. He is more aware than anyone else that pensions in the public service are devilishly complicated and that a huge range of rates and entitlements apply in respect of them. Does the Government propose, in advance of publishing the pensions legislation, to put forward the equivalent of either a Green Paper or a White Paper explaining the position with regard to the different categories of public servants and the various rates at which they contribute now and at which they will contribute in the future? Will the Taoiseach clarify the important issue of whether, in the context of tax purposes, the levy will be applied in respect of gross income or net income?

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