Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

For the record, I support the Minister's approach on the budget and the public finances because I fully appreciate that we have to stick to the deficit limit. There is no choice in that matter and we need to do what is required to achieve that. If that can be secured with considerably less than the €2 billion adjustment, we should do so.

We have heard trenchant views from the European Commission, the IMF and the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, which are all adamant that we should stick with €2 billion and no less. What is the Minister's headline response to their views which are consistent across the board?