Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I refer to the point made by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council about how credible and realistic the expenditure projections are, particularly in health. As practising politicians, we are all aware of the pressures of the demographic changes that are happening and the consequent impact on nursing home care, care for the elderly, disability services and so forth. There are extreme pressures. Thankfully, people are living longer but that is having a direct impact. To what extent are the figures the Department has for the next three to five-year horizon realistic and based on proper assessment of the demands that are known to exist over that time?