Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I am aware of the ECB's statement on the matter. The purpose of the discussion on the changes in the Stability and Growth Pact was to ensure its wider acceptability and greater credibility. We have considered the experience of the past seven years to ensure that rules are not applied rigidly and automatically without taking into account certain relevant factors which are beneficial to us. I would have expected the Fine Gael finance spokesman to be broadly supportive of this approach given that every time he comes to the House he asks for more money to be spent.

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