Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Government has more than doubled total spending on public services between 1997 and 2004 to over €41 billion. As provided for in the Abridged Estimates Volume published last week, the Government will add a further €2.5 billion to this in 2005 on a pre-budget basis to fund day-to-day spending on public services. Priority has been given to expenditure on social welfare, health, education and investment. Gross current spending on health has increased by 176% to €9.6 billion in 2004, spending on social welfare has increased by 97% to €11.3 billion while expenditure on education has increased by 103% to €6.1 billion. Capital spending to address the country's infrastructural deficit has increased by 178%. The general Government debt ratio has decreased from 65% of gross domestic product, GDP, in 1997 to an expected ratio of less than 32% by the end of this year. In addition almost €10.5 billion has been set aside for long-term pension and social security costs by investing in the national pensions reserve fund.

This level of spending has been achieved in tandem with the preservation of a stable budgetary position and major reductions in personal taxation. It has resulted in significant improvements in public services across the board but issues concerning individual programmes or projects should be raised by the Deputy with the relevant Ministers.

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