Nash calls for Govt to publish Summer Economic Statement this evening
- Minister due before Budgetary Oversight Committee at 9.30am tomorrow
- Committee should reconsider tomorrow’s meeting in light of tight timeframe
Labour’s finance spokesperson Ged Nash has said that the Minister for Finance should publish the Summer Economic Statement immediately after this evening’s Cabinet meeting.
Deputy Nash said:
“According to the media, the Statement will be published tonight, but the Government plans to hold of on its publication until tomorrow morning.
“The Minister for Finance is due before the Budgetary Oversight Committee at 9.30am tomorrow to discuss the Summer Economic Statement. This meeting was scheduled weeks ago.
“The principles of parliamentary accountability would insist that the Committee should be given the respect it deserves. We should provided with the opportunity to fully absorb and assess this critical and eagerly awaited policy statement that will dictate the future direction of our economy and the plans to deal with the deficit over time.
“Ireland has one of the weakest processes in the OECD for parliamentary engagement on the development of budgets and economic policy and the disrespect shown to this Committee in respect of the delays to the publication of this Statement and plans to hold off on its publication are unacceptable to me.
“The Committee should not be kept in the dark and the Budgetary Oversight Committee should review whether not it is worthwhile to proceed with tomorrow’s meeting, given the tight timeframes involved.”