Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

As is now normal procedure, we like to have discussions or comments from the Members of the House before European Council meetings and after. That is a change that was introduced since the Government was formed. In this case the budget will be on 6 December and I need to attend an EPP meeting in Marseilles on 7 December before the meeting in Brussels. We will need to make arrangements for the forthcoming Council meeting to be held on 9 December sometime before that. I will see that happens in accordance with the established practice we have.

Deputy Martin asked how the material got to the German parliamentary committee. He will be aware that as part of the troika, the Commission has to get the documentation about the previous quarter in order that it can sign off on it and approve the further moneys for Ireland under the bailout programme. Because the budget is so close, it sought information about the intentions of the Minister for Finance in this regard and that was sent to the Commission in confidence. It has admitted it should not have sent that to the German Parliament's budget committee. That was sent in confidence given the proximity of the budget. It is duty bound to send the other material - the assessment for the preceding quarter - to the German parliamentary committee, because it is now inserted into the German constitution that it must be so informed. However, it was not bound to send the information about the general intentions of the Minister for Finance about our budget, which is our business here. It has admitted its fault in that. So it is not necessary to have an investigation to find out what happened. We now know what happened and the Commission clarified it was wrong. As I have said, the Minister for Finance has protested very strongly about a breach of confidentiality to Commissioner Rehn in that regard. The material was sent in confidence because of the proximity of the budget.

In regard to Deputy Boyd Barrett's comment, he will obviously have plenty of time during the budget discussions. I suggest that he work with his colleagues on the other side of the House. He can use Private Members' time and I will see what other opportunities might be found for having discussions about the general financial situation.

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