Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

In the words of the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the shortfall is €4.5 billion, €5 billion or €6 billion? Will the general Government deficit be 9.5%, 10% or 11%? Did the Taoiseach inform the leaders of the European Union of the Government decision announced to the Dáil that the deficit would be 9.5% of GDP? Is it true that Dr. Ahearne told the parliamentary party not to worry about that? That the European Commission has given us five years to deal with our deficit is, on the one hand, a signal that it is possible to sort this out but, on the other, it also signals that we are in the worst position of any country in the eurozone, worse even than Greece which has four years to sort out its case.

I respect the Taoiseach's decision to engage with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the social partnership and I hope it results in the day of action next Monday being called off. The Taoiseach must have meaningful discussions with the partners about health, education, social welfare and the general income stream.

We are expected to prepare for a budget on 7 April without any projections or statement from the Minister for Finance as to its implications for the revenue stream or where the Government is seeking cuts and withdrawal of services. The Government may not get 100% support from the Opposition but it could at least narrow the parameters of disagreement if it gave the information to the Opposition parties they requested. The letter we wrote on 13 March to the Minister for Finance has not been even acknowledged. The Taoiseach has moved away from his words of three weeks ago. What has changed in the meantime? Is he now aware of some other set of figures? Is there something else we should be told now, in advance of the budget on 7 April which has made the Taoiseach change his tune?

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