Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have tabled an amendment in this group, namely, amendment No. 10, which proposes to change the timeframe from two months to one month. If it is a crisis or there is good news, why not do it quickly? That is the essence of the amendment. In general terms - I hope this does not sound demeaning - the Minister is categorised in the legislation as a kind of Goldilocks. The mixture is too week, although Senator Kathryn Reilly thinks it is too strong. The Minister of State has to prove that it is just right. I see the Fiscal Responsibility Bill as essential for us to obtain low interest rates on our borrowings and prove we can manage our affairs. I support the targets set, but I appreciate that my colleague, Senator Kathryn Reilly does not. My amendment proposes that we prepare the plan in one month rather than two months.

I have a related query for the Minister of State on section 6(4) which reads:

If the Government considers that exceptional circumstances have arisen during the period specified in the plan, the things specified in the plan are no longer required to be done; but when the Government considers that the exceptional circumstances have ceased to exist, the Government shall, unless there is no longer a failure such as is mentioned in subsection (1), within 2 months prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a new plan under that subsection.

However, in the following subsection the word "may" rather than "shall" is used. If I am reading the two subsections correctly, if the news is good, the Government "shall" act, but if the news is bad, it "may" act. What is the difference between the two? Is this an issue that might be revisited on Report Stage?