Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the date for each year since 2000 of pre-budget meetings held with the Department of Finance and the Department of An Taoiseach; the attendees at such meetings; if an agenda was circulated in advance; if minutes of such a meeting were kept; if not the reason for same; if officials were directed not to keep minutes of such meetings; if so, by whom and the date of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17566/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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During the Annual Estimates process meetings are routinely held within the Department and with officials from the Department of Finance. A variety of officials attend these meetings depending on the issues involved. These meetings help to clarify outstanding issues in relation to the detail of the Estimate and the relative priorities for increased funding. As the meetings can be quite frequent and informal minutes are not kept in the ordinary course of events, but the meetings inform part of what is an ongoing dialogue in advance of final discussions on the Estimates. Towards the end of the process a meeting takes place at Ministerial level at which officials are also involved. Final figures are then agreed with the Minister for Finance for recommendation to Government and publication in the Estimates volume shortly thereafter.