Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to ask the Tánaiste about the commitment in the programme for Government to open up the budgetary process. There has been very little progress made on that. It is still a highly secretive process which does not serve the people very well. The Taoiseach made a statement recently that the budget priority for the Government is to cut the top rate of tax, which will do nothing at all to help more than 80% of people in this country. In light of that statement and the Tánaiste's role as Minister for Social Protection, will she give consideration to reinstating the poverty-proofing exercise on the budget that was formerly carried out by the Combat Poverty Agency? Unfortunately that agency was abolished, but will the Tánaiste undertake to poverty-proof any proposed budgetary measures to see exactly whom they impact upon?

See this speech in context