Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

I remind the Tánaiste that the first pre-budget outlook statement was introduced on 18 October 2007. When will we receive this statement which we will need time to debate in this House? Given this year's budget decisions are of life and death importance to people throughout the country, it is poor, in terms of this House, that the Government appears to be long-fingering this important debate and the production of Estimates.

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