Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

The Commission on Taxation, under the chairmanship of Mr. Frank Daly, is an independent group charged with providing an assessment of how our tax system can be reformed. It is expected to complete its work shortly. When I receive the report I will bring it to the Government in advance of publication. The publication of individual documents, reports and submissions made to the commission, or internal papers or records emanating from the work of the commission, are matters for the commission. However, I understand that certain submissions may be made available on the commission's website. I will speak to the chairman on this matter.

The special group on public service numbers and expenditure programmes, under the chairmanship of Mr. Colm McCarthy, has completed its deliberations and I expect to receive its report imminently. I have not yet received the report. After I have considered the special group's report, I intend to bring it to Government and the groups analysis and recommendations will assist me and my Government colleagues to identify economies that can be made on the scale necessary to ensure the public finances are restored to a more sustainable path. The group's conclusions will be considered on an ongoing basis in the context of preparing the Estimates of expenditure for 2010 and later years. Publication of the report is a matter for the Government and I will discuss it with my colleagues in Government.

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