Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The point is that health is one of the areas in which the Government has increased expenditure. The same public service pay pause, which, as matters stand has been negotiated with the social partners until 1 October next year, applies to the health service as to other services. It is important to point out that even with these savings and the efforts to economise that are necessary to restore order to the public finances, next year we still will borrow on a day to day basis €4.7 billion more than we will earn.

Moreover, as for the suggestion I have read to the effect that we are cutting €5 billion in expenditure next year, it is important to note we have indicated in our three year programme our intention to move back to budgetary balance as soon as possible and to work through that process. Consequently, that particular figure is wrong. The only issue I have with the Fine Gael Party in respect of bringing the public finances into order is that although it believes there should be another €2 billion in cuts, it has not agreed to any cuts thus far or on the €2 billion it wishes to implement.

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