Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Dara Calleary has described plans to cut short debate on the second stage of the Finance Bill as indicative of a Government that is afraid to put its record to scrutiny in the Oireachtas.
Deputy Calleary commented “The government is at sixes and sevens since it decided not to go ahead with a November election. It is in a sea of confusion over issues such as the loss of the web summit, the Taoiseach’s bizarre claims of the army being deployed to protect our ATMs and an escalating crisis in Emergency Departments.
“They seem determined to avoid substantive debate on its policies at all costs. While Minsters are happy to take part in media events launching “budget calculators”, they are running scared from any real discussion regarding the choices they have made and the issues they are failing to address. With the greatest of respect to Minister Joe McHugh, who is being tasked with carrying the Government side through the debate this afternoon, it is surprising that there is no Minister from the either the Department of Finance, Public Expenditure or Jobs and Innovation to carry the Finance Bill through the Dáil.
“Several opposition speakers will now be denied the opportunity to contribute to the Finance Bill debate. This is in sharp contrast to the lofty claims when the government came to power that it was going to lead a democratic revolution,” concluded Deputy Calleary.
