Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

As the Ceann Comhairle has said, this is in accordance with precedence - perhaps not in more recent times, but when there were, thankfully, different types of budgets that were being considered, and we were talking about reducing rates and duties because of the surplus positions in our finances at the time. There are precedents for this in the 1990s and earlier under successive Governments. It is a means by which people can conduct the proceedings. The question was asked as to when these become effective. It is important that we give certainty on all these matters and that the House passes these financial resolutions tonight in respect of all these issues. As regards when they come into effect, people need to know and plan, and cannot hang around. One of the pillars of the argument coming from the Opposition was the need for certainty; this gives it certainty.

We are providing for focused discussion on these resolutions, some of which are not controversial at all. If, because of the grouping of the resolutions, there is one against which Deputy Gilmore wants to vote and not others, I would be in the Chair's hands as to whether he can take the one rather than the group - I am not sure that is available to him. Under Standing Orders, if we were taking the group vote anyway, the Deputy could indicate that there were three with which he was happy, but was voting against in respect of a particular resolution and that would cover him.

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