Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The issue is the €6.5 billion. The point I make is that there have been reforms in the budgetary process which are bringing greater accountability and a greater sense to the Oireachtas as to the outputs expected for the money being spent and which also ensure that during the course of next year — the first full year — we can mark that performance against the proposed outputs. Then we can have a really beneficial discussion beyond rhetorical counterblast about what we are doing in regard to these areas and where we are and are not getting value for money. These are important reforms in addition to these internal departmental reviews which take place. Important as they are in respect of €6.5 billion of expenditure, we also have the output statements from each Department and the performance targets set against them in regard to all areas of expenditure which will be available for committees to examine, detail and work on once they are published and people are brought before them to answer for the performance.

That is a fairer indication of the total value for money effort being made because it is in all our interests that taxpayers' money is spent, to the greatest possible extent, efficiently and effectively. Everyone is agreed on that. We use the committee system, the Oireachtas and these internal departmental reviews as the mechanism by which we can chart to what extent we are getting the outputs we expect for the money we spend and to hold people to account thereafter.

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