Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would like to make a quick suggestion. The Minister might consider bulking up the specific library and research team that deals with these issues. In the current environment it is probably not appropriate for us to set up a full budgetary office in this Parliament. The library and research team does a phenomenal job in trying to give us neutral and robust analysis. I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, to bring the idea of employing a small number of extra people with expertise in finance and economics as part of the library and research team to the Ministers, Deputies Michael Noonan and Brendan Howlin. The team that is already in place is phenomenal, but it is massively under-resourced. I think it has one person with a background in economics. It used to have two. The hiring embargo means it now has just one. If the number was increased to four, it is possible there could be a step change in the analysis available to the Members of this House. I ask the Minister of State to take this suggestion back for consideration.

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