Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The Taoiseach has told us the Government would save €1 billion in 2009. If the 3% payroll reduction only comes to €250 million between now and the end of 2009, where on earth is the €750 million for the remainder of 2009 and the remainder of the €190 million for 2008 to come from? That does not stack up. Even at the rate the Government is placing advertisements with television stations, newspapers etc., cutting advertisements and consultants and all the other headline grabbers in all these measures will not add up to €750 million in 2009 plus an extra €190 million in 2008. That does not stack up. If a 3% cut in payroll comes to €250 million, the rest of his figures are a fairytale.

I again ask the Taoiseach to tell us how much of the €1 billion in 2009 will be made up by the 3% cut in payroll so that we can have some assessment? Clearly the information will come out in dribs and drabs as individual Ministers make individual announcements and individual decisions are made in individual local authorities etc. In order to get a general assessment as to the impact on the overall public service of the 3% cut in payroll, I again ask the Taoiseach to give us the total figure for that in 2009 as compared with the €1 billion the Government plans to save in 2009.

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