Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I wish to refer to a reference made as far back as 1977 that will give some context to our situation now in 2008. We have had this debate before, have been in this position and will get out of it. People must accept this. In 1977, the NESC published research carried out by Eithne Fitzgerald, later a Member of this House, that concluded by stating:

The problem of coping with limited finance overshadows the provision of social services. Despite the fact that social services have been absorbing an increasing share of Government spending and of GNP, the level of provision in relation to total need remains low in a number of areas. Very many services, therefore, are selective in intent, in a bid to concentrate resources where they are felt to be most needed.

This is what we are trying to achieve in budget 2009. There is an uncanny similarity between where we are now and that time.

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