Item No. 2 is annual output statements review.
Business of Select Committee.
There is consensus among the Opposition Deputies that there are too many other matters arising and perhaps we will postpone it. Perhaps, under any other business, we could discuss how we will handle some of the other matters.
We will quickly run through this. In February 2008, the Minister for Finance wrote to all Chairs of select committees on the important role that he considered they could have in scrutinising the annual Estimates and the annual output statements. In the letter to the Select Committee on Finance and the Public Service, he considered that this committee could have an invaluable role in co-ordinating the overview of the conclusion of all of the committees and issues raised in their consideration of the Estimates.
At the last meeting, the committee agreed to send a letter and a list of possible questions and issues that select committees may wish to consider in reviewing their experience. We got three responses, one with recommendations and two of a holding kind.
There was a list of questions and possible issues circulated to all the committees along with the research paper produced by the library and research services to ourselves. Having considered these documents, and this committee's own experience of its consideration of the Estimates and Output Statements for three Departments, of which I have had no experience but of which the other members have, I am sure members have views on the matters. We need not go through them all today. It may be a good idea to get the clerk to produce a report for us. We could look at that report and then express views on it at the next meeting.
This is an important topic. In the fullness of time, we should try to make a contribution to how these annual Output Statements would become more meaningful. In the present climate, where we will be trying to cope with——
We must keep all the balls in the air.
Exactly.
Perhaps we will get the response drafted so that we can discuss it.
I have no difficulty with that. We should not try to discuss it this side of an agreement by the House on the budget and the banking scheme.
That is fair enough. I have no difficulty with that. We will have it ready for discussion anyhow.
The information produced by the Oireachtas Library and Research Service is a good and competent overview. As we will not have output statements until some time in February, and also because we will be concentrating on the budget and the Finance Bill, the list of questions is useful. We went through a rather excruciating experience with the three draft Output Statements, which I did not find terribly useful, and they were hard work to plough through with not much to show for it. The principle of the idea, as Deputy Bruton stated, is quite a good one, but there are more pressing issues.
I agree with the Deputy, but we should set up a structure that would make it more beneficial the next time we go through that. There is an official in the Oireachtas Library who is an expert at this business. He was responsible for that document. He could work on it for us, and we could discuss it down the line. The document was drawn up for our committee. It would be a good idea if the other committees were given it as well. Is that agreed? Agreed.
The timetable for the Finance Bill has been circulated. Is there any other business?
I have read comments by the Chairman in the newspapers.
Is there any other business relevant to the select committee before we move on to any other business? No.
We must give careful consideration to one issue. The Dáil will be consulted about the scheme——
We will go into private session.
There is nothing private about what I have to say.
It is for private session.
The select committee went into private session at 3.15 p.m. and adjourned at 3.40 p.m. sine die.