Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Doherty's amendment is quite modest. The issue is that there is no agreed methodology for measuring the impact of a budget. For the past number of years we have cited the ESRI and its analysis of the budget and the Minister has responded by stating that the ESRI has not taken X, Y or Z into account. We have no agreed basis for measuring the impact of a budget on different groups of individuals. This should be done, as it would make for better policy decisions and would allow everybody to understand the impact of Government policy in regard to budgetary matters.

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