Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I have two questions. Will the Government publish a revised Book of Estimates? When will it be published or will it be incorporated in the Budget Statement we are to get later today?

In an earlier reply the Taoiseach said the House would have an opportunity to vote on the budget. I know we will have opportunities to vote on particular issues that may arise in the budget during some of the financial motions later today but when will we have the opportunity to vote on the budget in its totality? As I understand the order that has just been passed, the motion for the General Financial Resolution will be moved at some stage before midnight and a debate on it will start tomorrow which will continue for some time. The motion for the general financial resolution will be moved at some stage before midnight and a debate on it will start tomorrow, which will continue for some time. I presume the financial resolutions the Taoiseach is talking about are covered by No. 12 on the Order Paper. I also noticed No. 22 concerns a resumed debate on the financial resolutions for the 2008 budget on which the House has never voted. No. 25 regards the financial resolutions from the 2007 budget, on which, again, the House never voted.

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