Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Yes; the Government's position is that we will achieve our targets under the programme. The target when the programme was designed was to have a deficit of less than 3% by 2014. In May 2011 we renegotiated and got an extra year, so we must get under 3% by 2015. The Government position is that we must get to that target, but that is not the point I am making. I am suggesting that forecasts by their nature are inexact and there can be a plus or a minus.