Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Do Members want to have a serious discussion or not? On the question relating to public service numbers and expenditure programmes, the Minister for Finance has appointed a public official in his office and four others to go through every item of expenditure relating to public spending on the current side. Members should read what the man has to say. The group's remit is to examine items of expenditure on the current side. It will come back with ideas and initiatives in that respect and the Government will make the decisions.

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