Economic report criticised as flawed

SENIOR OFFICIALS from Government departments have been accused of presenting a "seriously dated" economic document, taking no account of Budget cuts to an Oireachtas committee.

Under the Lisbon Agenda, Ireland must submit a national reform programme for growth and jobs for the years 2008-2010 to the European Commission for assessment by end of this week, having already asked for an extension.

However, when a draft document was presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs yesterday, members said it did not reflect reality.

Committee chairman Bernard Durkan (Fine Gael) said: "It could be said that the document in front of us is dated, seriously dated."

Mr Durkan said the document to be presented to the commission must reflect the present climate economically climate.

If it did not, it could not be said to be based on reality.

"We are all accountable to the public outside who will take revenge if we do not do our job," he said.

Labour TD Joe Costello said he imagined 99 per cent of the report was written prior to the Budget, "transforming it to pretty much a work of fiction at the present time".

He said there was a serious discrepancy between what was contained in the report and what was happening on the streets and being discussed in the Dáil.

"Isn't it the case that the Celtic Tiger is over? That we are in recession; that we are not competitive; that we are not manufacturing; that we are not exporting; that the housing industry, the construction industry has collapsed? I can't see how any of this is addressed in the presentation you have here," he said.

The basis of the Lisbon Agenda was in tatters following the announcement of Budget cuts, he claimed.

"You've a fine document there if it reflected the reality post-Budget. It reflects the reality prior to the Budget."

Senator Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) also said the document needed to be revised urgently.

"Really, the Budget has shot a hole in the whole proposal and Lisbon Agenda as presented in the document," he said.

In response, the delegation of senior officials from the Departments of An Taoiseach and Enterprise, Trade and Employment confirmed that the report was being redrafted.

However, they stressed it was more important than ever to proceed with initiatives to keep Ireland competitive.

Tommy Murray, assistant principal at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said the comments of members would be taken on board before the final version of the report was submitted to the commission.

John Shaw, principal officer in the economic social policy division of the Department of An Taoiseach, said they accepted that the gravity of the current economic situation needed to be more clearly reflected.