Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I want to ask the Tánaiste for some information which will determine how the Labour Party will address the seven proposals on which we have to vote. The Government proposes to go into recess today and return on 12 January. On 22 November, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, said his party, "have now reached a point where the Irish people need political certainty to take them beyond the coming two months. So, we believe it is time to fix a date for a general election in the second half of January 2011".

In response to that, the Taoiseach said:

It is my intention at the conclusion of this budgetary process, with the enactment of the necessary legislation in the new year, to then seek a dissolution of Dáil Éireann and to enable the people to determine who should undertake the responsibilities of government in the challenging period ahead.

I want to ask the Tánaiste some questions arising from that. When will the finance Bill be published? What is the Government's intention with regard to its enactment? It would not be unreasonable for a period of approximately two weeks to be taken for the consideration and enactment of the finance Bill. The Tánaiste has said the Dáil will return on 12 January next. If approximately two weeks were taken to deal with the finance Bill, following which the Dáil were dissolved and a date set for a general election-----

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