Taoiseach denies stalling on spending review

TAOISEACH ENDA Kenny has denied the Government is delaying publishing its spending review until after the presidential election.

He told Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin that the claim was “absolute and utter nonsense”.

He added: “Given the complexity of conducting a detailed expenditure review of public monies in every section of every department, this is not something that can be done overnight.”

He insisted the review had not been completed.

Mr Martin replied that “the Taoiseach knows that what I am getting at is his deliberate delay in publishing the comprehensive spending review because of the presidential election”.

People were facing choices, said Mr Martin, adding that the previous government had published comprehensive spending reviews well in advance of the budget or any three-year plan.

“It published them in isolation so that people could see the spending choices being put before them and to allow for a genuine debate in the House about . . . areas that should be protected, such as special needs assistants and class sizes,” he added.

Mr Martin accused the Taoiseach of preventing publication of the review. He claimed Mr Kenny and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin had promised in the Dáil it would be completed by September.

On June 22nd, said Mr Martin, the Taoiseach said: “We face many challenges, all of which will be spelled out clearly as we unveil the full truth in the context of the comprehensive spending review.”

Mr Kenny insisted that Mr Martin’s charge was invalid. “His own party made many statements over the years,” he said.

“Since I was a child, it spoke about draining the Shannon,” he added.

Mr Kenny said he was not sure what level of interest Mr Martin was showing in the presidential election.

Mr Martin replied that his interest was in spending issues.

“I have been attending meetings . . . to deal with special needs cutbacks and posts being held back,” he said.

The Taoiseach said Mr Martin would be aware that the memorandum of understanding, signed by the previous government, required the current administration to produce a timeline of complex legislation. “That has taken up a considerable amount of Government time,” he added.

Mr Martin said last week in the Dáil the Taoiseach had claimed the review was practically completed. “These are the Taoiseach’s words,” he added. “He should treat this House with a bit of respect.”

He claimed words meant nothing to the Taoiseach, adding that Mr Kenny said whatever came into his mouth.

Earlier, the Fianna Fáil leader said that in opposition Fine Gael and Labour had waxed lyrical about an open and transparent budgetary process. “That is certainly not the case now,” he said.

Each department, said Mr Martin, had supplied the required data as early as June and memos were circulated in July.

The Government, he added, should release the information now and not one week after the October 27th elections.

“The Taoiseach and his Ministers have repeatedly claimed they have revolutionised strategic planning in government,” he added.