Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

In reply to Deputy Rabbitte, I was amazed there was so much interest in the reason the Government was looking to the future in terms of what we are trying to do as a caring Government and the huge expenditure we have put into social, community, health and other aspects. We were looking to hear a broad based view on where we should best allocate resources in the next budget and following budgets based on the excellent report brought forward by Fr. Healy and his colleagues. We looked at that report and believed we should have received a presentation on it. I suggest that meeting was very good for all my colleagues in my party and for everyone else in that we saw the things we should do and where the priorities lie. When anybody brings forward a report on the priorities in terms of the areas in which we should spend money, it is right that the Government should look at it. In this case the Government did that.

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