Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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This is one of the areas on which I take a different view because decisions are made each year, budget to budget, that are the result of policy decisions which must be made by the Government of the day. Different Ministers for Finance and different Governments in the future - obviously, I hope the current Government continues for as long as possible - must make decisions each year in relation to their service priorities.

I have told the Deputy what I accept in respect of what it has stated with regard to the Department of Health. In particular, I have said that I accept what it says about some of the consequences of this on the medium-term forecasting. Where I differ is in my belief that some of the assessment undervalues the fact that any Government on budget day must be able to make its own policy priorities and must be able to make discretionary expenditure decisions. Those must be funded and in many cases must be built on to medium-term forecasts that are published.