Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

We will try to come forward next year with a sustainable budgetary position, which will obviously moderate the level of increase in current expenditure because we are anxious to maintain capital programmes that provide the building blocks and increase the productive capacity of the economy to take the upturn when it comes. That is our basic position and we will do that in a way that ensures sustainable policies in the future. It a challenge, with growth rates lower than expected due to the global economic environment. As we proceed to do that, we will do so on the basis of taking the correct course now, as the ESRI said, to resume growth in the economy as soon as possible thereafter when the upturn comes. This involves making a temporary adjustment now to avoid permanent damage. This will be done by the Government in the context of the upcoming budget, Estimates and our plans for next year. In the meantime, we will not succumb to the panic of some who suggest it is back to the 1980s or others who critique that they want us to cut expenditure and at the same time increase money for programmes. Members of the Opposition cannot have their way all of the time. We will continue to do our job, based——

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