Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I wish to pursue further with the Tánaiste a matter I raised yesterday, namely, the date on which the budget will be introduced. As she is aware, the date of the budget was moved from January to December. Since this change was made - with the exception of last year when the Government introduced the budget in October - the first Wednesday in December has always been budget day.

When I asked the Tánaiste yesterday to tell the House when budget day would be, I expected her to state it would be on 2 December. I was greatly surprised when she appeared to indicate there was some uncertainty about the date of the budget. The Tánaiste should clarify this issue for the House. Can she confirm that budget day will be on 2 December and if she is unable to do so, what alternatives are being considered by the Government? Is it intended to bring the date forward and have it on an earlier date, will it be on another day on the same week or is it intended to put it back? It is a fairly significant day in the life of the House and the country and I seek clarity in this regard.

Second, Deputy Hogan asked yesterday about the promised local government Bill to give effect to the public commitment by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government that there will be a position of directly elected mayor of Dublin and that the election for that office will take place in 2010. However, as Deputy Hogan pointed out yesterday, the problem is that the requisite promised legislation is not due to be published until 2010, which would make it highly difficult to hold an election in 2010. Does the Government still intend to hold an election in 2010 for a directly-elected mayor of Dublin? When will the enabling legislation in this regard be published?

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