Dáil debates

Thursday, 6 December 2012

Financial Resolutions 2013 - Financial Resolution No. 15: General (Resumed)

 

12:20 pm

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

If one includes just the budgetary decisions of Fine Gael and Labour, one finds a deeply regressive impact.

The backing away from a real reform of the political and budgetary process has been obvious to anyone paying attention. Last year’s budget fortnight has been abandoned and a traditional budget day restored. In the Oireachtas, discussion was allowed in advance of the Estimates, but there is nothing in what has been published which even slightly reflects Oireachtas input. Within Government, the increasingly ineffective Economic Management Council has destroyed collective responsibility with Ministers actively distancing themselves from unpopular decisions on the basis that they were not properly consulted. Sitting around doing nothing for hours and ordering in pizza might be okay for teenagers with a few days off, but it is not what you expect from a Cabinet.

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