Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We, in the Labour Party, also have concerns around the final motion on the National Surplus (Exceptional Contingencies) Reserve Fund. Indeed, we wrote to the Ceann Comhairle this evening to express our objections to the proposal to consider this motion this evening without notice and without an opportunity for debate. We have also submitted an amendment to require adequate notice and adequate time to debate the matter given the quantity of money that is proposed to be placed into the fund and also given that it is not a financial resolution.

This motion, therefore, does not need to be bundled together with the financial resolutions and does not need taken today at all. We set out very clearly and in some detail in our letter to the Ceann Comhairle why this does not need to be taken this evening and to express concern. We need to hear more. Very little was said by the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, about this issue earlier today. There is a huge amount of money to be put into the fund. We need to know a little more about this.

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