Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I submitted a written question and the Minister answered, but I want to tease it out. He says a neutral budget for 2015 is possible outside outstanding policy commitments. The Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, yesterday said €750 million of cuts need not proceed, but the Government has already announced some cuts in 2015. We legislated for such cuts in the Finance Bill. I am not asking the Minister for specific details on the budget, but I raise the example of the student contribution which is set to rise by a further €250 to the maximum figure of €3,000 in 2015.

Are the other measures that have been legislated for in education and other areas, including social welfare for lone parents, necessary to achieve the neutral budget? Will the savings that accrue from that suite of measures, already announced as Government policy, be necessary for the neutral budget, or are we starting from a point at which the neutral budget is possible without anything that has not taken effect to date taking effect? If we are to have real parliamentary debate and if real alternatives are to be provided, it is important that the Department, through the Minister, give the Opposition information so that we can produce as good an alternative budget as possible.

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