Dan Boyle (Green Party)

When my party made an announcement on 22 November last about its continuation in government, it laid down a number of principles that need to be adopted in the run-up to the general election if proper stewardship is to be handed to an incoming Government. We referred to the need to oversee the talks that were ongoing with the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the IMF. We said that a budget needed to be introduced and, subsequently, a finance Bill had to be seen through to its completion. Nothing has changed. It is not a smokescreen. The time required has been shortened by the earlier commencement of this session's business in this House and the other House and will be shortened further by the earlier publication of the Finance Bill and the speedier progress of that Bill through both Houses. That is an indication of the seriousness of our intent. I assure Members who expressed concern about legislation which has been prepared over the past three years that it is well advanced. We hope and expect it can be passed. If that does not happen by the time the Finance Bill is passed by both Houses, it will not change the decision we took on 22 November last. I want to be quite clear about that. There has been a great deal of mischievous comment about our participation, or otherwise, in government. I expect the progress of the Bill to be completed some time towards the end of February. It is the constitutional prerogative of the Taoiseach to decide when the election will take place and how long the campaign will be. Such matters are not in the hands of Members of this House.