Beverley Flynn (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

We have a five-year objective that has been highlighted by the Taoiseach in the House today. The objective is to bring the budget deficit below 3% by 2013. We have signed up to that commitment under the Stability and Growth Pact. There has been much talk today about the 9.5% GDP deficit this year and whether we will maintain that figure. I believe we need to keep as close to that as possible and in order to realise the objective we seek within the five-year period. Circumstances are constantly changing and we need to respond as positively as we can to the situation in which we find ourselves. I ask the Opposition to join the Government in presenting a comprehensive integrated approach to solving our problems.

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