We will not be opposing the Order of Business. While no one wants to pre-empt what is in the budget today, it shows scant regard for the Oireachtas and the Parliament when one considers the level of kite flying in the newspapers today and yesterday. Two editorials today seemed to predict authoritatively what will be read out at 2.30 p.m. and 3 p.m. today by the Ministers in the other House. I am sure the Leader would agree that the Members of both Houses require a little more respect as the people's representatives than that which has been rolled out today.

We will have the opportunity this afternoon to comment on what is actually in the budget. While one can appreciate, given that it is 1.10 p.m., that the budget has gone to the printers some time ago, I can only express the hope the actual budget we hear is not as mean-spirited as has been suggested by the media.

No one envies the Ministers their task to try to save €2.4 billion, but all parties in opposition have made suggestions on how they would put forward an alternative budget in this regard. Some notable things jump out immediately, including the bereavement grant. Surely it cannot be true that such a callous development would take place in terms of a savage cut such as this. It was first introduced in 1999 to help people at their most vulnerable time, when a loved one has passed away, to deal with the significant costs of funerals, some €3,000 on average outside Dublin and €4,500 in Dublin. It was brought in in 1999 at about €630. At the time it cost €25 billion to run the country every year. Today, it costs €52 billion or €53 billion to run the country every year and we want to scrap the €850 grant, the level it is at today. Surely our priorities are wrong if this is what we are trying to do.

Is the Senator from the Department of Finance?

Senator Marc MacSharry to continue, without interruption.

On a point of order-----

Senator Mark MacSharry to continue, without interruption.

He is discussing the budget before we even know what is in it.

Senator Marc MacSharry to continue, without interruption, please, on the Order of Business.

Also, one hopes-----

That is not the Order of Business.

Does Senator Marc MacSharry have a question for the Leader?

Also, one hopes the media-predicted doubling of the prescription charge to €2.50 will not materialise. The Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, promised to get rid of this charge.

Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?

My question is whether these savage measures will be included in a budget that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, had the gall to predict today would be a family budget in all its respects. While I am perfectly entitled to raise these issues on the basis that the Order Business specifically mentions statements on the budget later in the day, it is impossible, given the kite flying and media coverage of recent days about such cuts, to avoid it.

That is speculation. Does the Senator have a question?

I am asking the Leader to reflect on the points I am making and, even at this late hour, to try to impress on the Minister the fact-----

The Senator is over time.

-----that such cuts would be uncalled for and mean-spirited in the extreme. At the same time, we are managing to protect the most well heeled and best placed to shoulder additional burdens, while focusing on the elderly, the weak and those who have been bereaved.