Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 26 May 1998

Vol. 491 No. 3

Written Answers. - Budget Publications.

Alan M. Dukes

Question:

250 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Finance the date the 1998 budget was announced; the date the 1998 budget was printed in the form in which it is to be made available to the public through the Government Publications Sales Office; the date it became available to the public at that office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12019/98]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy)

I presented the 1998 budget to Dáil Éireann on 3 December 1997.

For this year's budget, the documentation printed within my Department for distribution on budget day was produced in a new format and contained in a single folder. In addition to circulation to all Members of the Oireachtas, copies were also made available free of charge to all members of the public who requested same. Also, the document was fully accessible on the Internet from the Department of Finance site immediately after the conclusion of my statement to the House. The feedback from the general public regarding the revised format was very positive.

The formal budget booklet was printed on 28 April 1998 and went on sale through the Government Publications Sale Office the following day, 29 April 1998.

As the Deputy will be aware, the budget booklet contains mainly data which has already been made available to the public in a printed format either through my Department or through the Government Publications Sale Office. With the exception of a number of trend tables, the national accounts classification of the budget is the only information which has not been made available previously.