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

I wish to ask Professor McHale about the issue of demographic pressures, about which he has written before. There seems to be a significant difference between the analysis of IFAC and that of the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform as to the accurate estimates of what demographic pressures mean. Certainly, it seems to me that the pressures and demands are very strong. When one considers areas such as those about which Professor McHale spoke - for example, the number of pensioners, school places and home care supports for elderly people - the figure pencilled in for next year is €400 million. Is it still the view of the Fiscal Advisory Council that for next year and the next number of years the estimate provided by the Department is not sufficient to meet the actual demographic pressures?