Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

If we can maintain the same level of output this year, compared to last year — which itself was a record output — that is not a bad position to be in, considering the international situation. Every other country is facing precisely the same issues we are and does not have as much ability to take the hit in the way that we have been able. We have tried to devise a strategy, because we have used the good times to reduce the debt, rather than increase it during the bad times as in the past. We have also used——

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