Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

Further to an earlier question from Deputy Gilmore, there is a requirement under the national anti-poverty strategy for the Minister for Finance to produce a statement setting out the likely impact on the poor of any budget proposal. The standard practice has been to publish such a statement along with the budget document, which has happened for the past 11 years. Did the Minister for Finance, Deputy Lenihan, produce such a statement? Was it presented to the Cabinet along with the budget? The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Hanafin, said last week that such a statement would be published within days. Has the Cabinet seen that statement? When will it be published and available to all Deputies?

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