The national economic dialogue has been taking place yesterday and today, but in truth it is a farcical exercise. The dialogue is happening without any indication from Government of what the fiscal space for next year might be. We are asked to discuss expenditure without knowing how much there is to spend. As my colleague, Deputy Burton, noted last week, the summer economic statement - up to last year it was the spring economic statement - which according to the programme for Government was originally to be produced in spring, will now not appear for another couple of weeks. Last year it was published on 21 June - we were told that was because it was the first year of a new Government. This year it will probably be a month later than that.

Any notion of genuine budgetary oversight has gone out of the window. Certainly, the notion of meaningful input from a committee of the House is gone. Instead of open and accountable budgeting, we are forced to look at the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, to give us titbits of information on economic planning. He has told us he expects approximately €500 million of fiscal space to be available. He reiterated last week that this would be divided in a 2:1 ratio between spending and tax cuts. Indeed, the Taoiseach has indicated that tax cuts are higher up the list than any welfare increases to the most vulnerable.

If a third of the funding is used for tax cuts, it would leave €335 million for public spending, €180 million of which is already ring-fenced for the new public sector pay deal. That will leave a grand total of €155 million for investment in public services next year. Over the past three years, additional spending in health alone came to €300 million in 2015, €910 million in 2016 and €500 million in 2017, this year. There is no way the Government can produce a realistic Estimate for the Department of Health out of €155 million. That would leave nothing for pensioners or anyone else.

When will we have the summer economic statement, setting out in clear terms the fiscal parameters for next year in order that we will not have a farcical debate but one anchored in reality? Does the Tánaiste accept there is not enough fiscal space available to allow for any tax cuts next year? When will the Committee on Budgetary Oversight be given the information it needs to do the job it is charged to do by this House?

I was at the dialogue yesterday. It was an extremely worthwhile exercise. The various partners and stakeholders attended and all contributed in a very positive and constructive way. It has been an extremely useful exercise over the past two days with huge participation by all the stakeholders. I have no doubt interesting initiatives and recommendations will arise from that discussion. I chaired a session discussing productivity and competition in the Irish economy. It was very relevant and useful in dealing with issues to support enterprises in this country. I have no doubt a number of initiatives will emerge from that discussion.

It is too early to speculate about the upcoming budget. We have committed to a 2:1 split in the programme, as the Deputy knows. I can assure the House that it will be a fair budget and one that helps people in every part of Ireland. As the Taoiseach said yesterday, we should focus on the totality of expenditure and taxation and examine existing spending programmes as well.

Of course, it also has to be a budget that prepares us for Brexit and ensures our competitiveness is at the heart of everything we do. We now have hard data since the Brexit referendum that shows the immediate impact from Brexit has been more muted than initially anticipated. This is consistent with trends emerging in the US and the euro area. We welcome those improvements in the euro area which will be positive for us, although the UK growth has slowed in the first quarter of 2017. We know the Irish economy is particularly exposed because of the decision in the UK. The Minister for Finance will address the Deputy's points about the statement and giving the information to the Committee on Budgetary Oversight. I have no doubt that will take place in the coming weeks.

The programme for Government promised a new era of transparency in budgetary formation. It was the most important dialogue between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in the formation of Government. It meant we would have the participation of this House in budgetary formation. I suggested the national economic dialogue but it was not simply to be a forum where people came and did what they always did, namely, lay out a list of aspirations, hopes and demands; it was actually to engage in the real negotiations for the budget by knowing what was available and saying what the priorities should be within that fiscal limit.

What is happening now is the opposite of that transparency. It is making a mockery not only of the commitment for this House to be a real participant in budgetary formation but of an open budgetary system. I despair of real parliamentary accountability in relation to budgetary reform. When will the summer economic statement, which was due weeks ago, actually be published, and will it be published before the Dáil goes into recess?

The Taoiseach addressed the issue yesterday and, as Deputy Howlin said, the Government will publish the summer economic statement in the coming weeks.

What does that mean?

It means in the coming weeks. I do not have a specific date.

Will it be before the recess?

It is clear that the fiscal space in 2018, in particular, will be limited and that reflects the carry-over of the full-year cost of commitments from budget 2017 and the impact of the recent public service pay agreement, if ratified.

Given that Deputy Howlin has raised the economy it is worth reflecting on the fact that we have the fastest growing economy in Europe. Unemployment is down, incomes are up and inequality is narrowing.

Not in the regions.

As the Taoiseach said again yesterday, as the budget approaches balance we have better scope to make decisions about investment in the future. We have to plan for this growing economy, the growing population and the growing workforce. Because of the prudent management, in which Deputy Howlin himself played a part, we are now in a much better economic position to make those decisions than we were before.