Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The point has already been made - but it took an economic crisis for this Government and governments across Europe to recognise it - that we need independent economists to assess budgets, spending decisions and macroeconomic priorities so that there is an early warning signal, so to speak, with regard to mistaken behaviours that could wreak havoc on the economy and our society. Despite the fact that I may have issues with some of the recommendations of the Fiscal Advisory Council, I see the benefit of having an independent group of economists assessing the wider economy, what the Government is doing, its budgets and setting out whether it thinks there are dangers. The reports and figures it produces are very useful. In that sense, it is quite a good model and one which should be followed in this area of equal if not, arguably, much greater importance, which is an area that concerns the management of our environment so that it remains sustainable for human existence and society.

It does not get much more important than that. To have that group independent in assessing our mitigation plans and Government policies and priorities in this area appears to be a no-brainer. As Deputy Daly said, there were positive sounds from the Government on Committee Stage on this front, so let us hope they will be followed through with an agreement on the Government's part to accept this series of amendments.

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