Tom Shehan (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. It is easier to ask him to come to the House than any other Minister because he spent some time here and appreciates the work we do.

To put things in perspective, as stated, last year €13.4 billion was spent on health while the income tax take was €13.397 billion. There are measures in the Finance Bill that are tough on ordinary people. It is not with any great pleasure that the Government has to introduce these measures. However, one must look at the simple facts of the budgetary process whereby every cent and euro taken in through income tax was spent on the health service. My view is that while there are people who knock the health service, it is not as bad as it is made out to be. As a budget must be balanced, all one can expect from any government is that it does it in a fair and considered fashion.