Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

Will the Leader outline the work programme for House in the weeks to come? Why is there no legislation before the House? Why is the Government not giving this House legislation? Why is no legislation being initiated here? Has the Government run out of steam to the extent that no legislation is ready to be put before these Houses? At a time of unprecedented social and economic turmoil in this country, and with these Houses not having sat for 12 weeks, it is extraordinary that the Government has not prepared any legislation. It is quite unacceptable. Will the Leader provide an explanation to this House as soon as possible, preferably when he is replying at the conclusion of the Order of Business?

We have heard again today about the extraordinary waste of money on electronic voting machines, in FÁS and in the HSE. It is very difficult for people who are under so much pressure and who are having their electricity cut off or are having to watch every penny or deal with their incomes being halved or lost to see such a waste of money at Government level. It is quite extraordinary that the culture of Government has not changed.

I want to make a point about the role of the Opposition at budget time. There has been a great deal of discussion about the possibility of a national Government being formed in the national interest. As an Opposition, of course we have the national interest at heart and will do the right thing. I challenge the Government to do things differently in the run-up to this year's budget. The role of Opposition in this Parliament involves talking constructively about the challenges facing this country. Will the Government set out what it will do to change the way it behaves when making budgetary decisions? Will there be advance scrutiny of the options being considered by the Government? Will we have an opportunity to amend the proposals that will be made by the Government? Will targets be set for individual Departments? Will such targets be evaluated and monitored? As we can see from all the waste that is reported in each day's newspapers, that has not happened to date. The system must change, as we can no longer have this all or nothing vote on budget day. I challenge the Government to specify what it intends to do in the national interest to change the culture it has allowed to grow in the past 12 years in setting and debating the budget in the Houses.