Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Obviously, I cannot announce the budget in advance. It will be announced next Tuesday. The legislative arrangements that will have to be put in place to give effect to the budget will take place consequent to the announcement. I presume the Deputy will accept that I cannot indicate what is in the budget at this point.

On the question of the availability of documentation in draft form, the Minister for Finance intends to circulate the documents with his speech this afternoon, as I have said, so that people can peruse them and see where they are at.

On the question of the constitutionality of our approach, the Deputy can take it that Attorneys General are in attendance and give their advice when we conduct these discussions and when the Government makes decisions. I assure the House that the clear and unambiguous advice is that it is totally within the competence of the Executive to undertake these agreements. It is in compliance with Article 29.4 of the Constitution.

See this speech in context