Timmy Dooley
Question:31. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the changes he plans to the budgetary process and timetable for budget 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10388/13]
View answerWednesday, 27 February 2013
Questions (31)
Written answers
The “two-pack”, which has just been agreed at EU level, reinforces the European Semester process and introduces a common budgetary timeline for all Euro-area Member States both in relation to the publication of the national budget and the enactment of the legislation.
Member States are required to publish their draft budget for central government and the main parameters of all other General Government sub-sectors no later than 15 October, each year. The common budgetary timeline also requires that the final budget should be adopted by 31 December.
Accordingly, much of our existing budgetary process, which is currently completed in the first week of December, will have to be progressed earlier in the year. Both myself and my colleague, the Minister for Finance, will be considering the precise implications for Ireland's traditional budgetary process to ensure that Ireland complies with these new arrangements.