Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

As I said, on the basis of the Exchequer returns, the Government position in January was that we would take savings of €2 billion. It was agreed in the framework that was what we should do. On the basis of the February returns, this economic convulsion confirms that further measures are needed. We have made it clear that we have to work within the figures we submitted to the European Commission in terms of our determination to bring order to our public finances. Whatever measures are required or necessary will be taken by Government to achieve that because, as has been said, the prerequisite for a return to the economic fortunes of the country is the putting in order of our public finances, and it is also important from the point of view of our international creditability.

The live register figure, as the Deputy said, will be announced by the Central Statistics Office at 11 a.m. The figure is 354,400, which is an increase of 26,500, or 8%, on last month. Some 44,000 are receiving payment in respect of part of a week and the unemployment rate for February, therefore, is expected to be 10.4%.

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