Dáil committee wants September Budget

WASTE of taxpayers’ money could be cut if the Budget is switched to September, an influential Dáil committee stated yesterday.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) wants the set-piece occasion of the Dáil year moved back three months to allow for much greater scrutiny. A PAC report recommends the Budget should be announced when the Dáil resumes after the summer recess.

It could then be examined by an enlarged finance committee before the Finance Act is passed.