Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is the public sector - I do not distinguish between Revenue or the Department of Finance in this instance. It is an extraordinary admission of failure in the public service. If that is the public service over which the Government presides, then it is not doing a good job. It is not satisfactory that the Department of Finance can say that and it is extraordinary that the Government is not prepared to even allow the Bill to proceed to Committee Stage, where all of the matters under discussion could be teased out in further detail. The admitted failure on the part of this Government to find someone within its own ranks or in the Departments of Finance or Public Expenditure and Reform to cost election proposals is why my Fianna Fáil colleague, Deputy Michael McGrath, introduced a Private Members' Bill to allow the Fiscal Advisory Council to cost party election manifestos. There was a time when parties could get a reasonable estimate of costs. The Government is saying that election proposals from the Opposition have not been costed. However, the only reason they have not been costed is because the Government is refusing to allow this to happen. To respond, four months later, with a statement that it cannot be costed is an admission of a poor approach to legislation that is brought before this Parliament.

I will deal with the thorny issue of Irish Water, which the Minister of State mentioned, as he did the memo regarding the flat-rate charge, which was discussed by Government a few years ago. Several proposals are discussed at Cabinet every month of the year, and, rightly so, because all options should be considered. Just because something is discussed it does not mean it is going to be ultimately implemented as policy.

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