Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 285: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the input that the Oireachtas will have into the planned Government expenditure review; if the outcome of the review will be presented to Dáil Eireann for approval; and when same will be published. [22481/11]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As I am sure the Deputy is aware, work on the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE) is ongoing at the moment and involves all Ministers and Departments. The CRE will be a critical building block in formulating Government's budgetary policy for 2012 and beyond and the results of the Comprehensive Review process will be brought before Government for consideration and decision in the Budget and Estimates process later this year. The Oireachtas will have the opportunity to debate the Government's decisions arising from the CRE as part of the Budget debate, and in more detail in the 2012 Estimate debate at the relevant Select Committees.

More generally, while the detailed arrangements for the budgetary process in the autumn are still under consideration, I anticipate that the CRE exercise will have a significant bearing on the Pre-Budget Outlook (PBO) to be presented to Dáil Éireann in October.

In addition, the CRE will form a key input to the establishment of a Medium- Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) later this year. This Framework will form part of the Fiscal Responsibility Bill to be put before the House and the Oireachtas will input in this context.