Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 13: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will publish a pre-Budget outlook in advance of Budget 2008 and in advance of the Budget 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31325/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Given the short time to Budget day I will not be publishing a Pre-Budget Outlook in advance of this year's Budget. However, my Department published a mid year technical update of current year macro-economic forecasts in July. In this update an economic and fiscal assessment was presented based on the information to hand at end June. On the 3rd of September the Government announced that it was bringing forward Budget 2009 to the 14th of October 2008. Furthermore my Department will hold the usual quarterly press conference for the end-September Exchequer Returns, which will, as normal, set out the emerging trends in the public finances. On Budget Day I will set out my macro-economic and fiscal framework for the next three years. As Budget Day is only a few weeks away the necessity for the Pre-Budget Outlook is no longer there this year.