Eugene Regan (Fine Gael)

The tax receipts for November show a €3 billion shortfall compared to that estimated in the budget. What it shows is that not only is the budget of 2008 out of date but also the budget for 2009. The response of the Minister and the Government has been to wait for the December Exchequer returns and to establish "an bord snip nua", the cost-cutting committee. The point has been made by Senators Ross, Fitzgerald and others but the reality is that this is an admission of failure. It is an outsourcing of decision making by the Government.