Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the debate on this budget.

This is a challenging time, as the Minister of State, Deputy Devins, and other speakers outlined. The challenge that faced us during the past few weeks in preparing this budget was to try to strike a right balance between showing the nerve and the political will to make the changes and fiscal adjustments necessary without doing damage to the economy that could not be recovered. I believe we have struck that right balance. Many people have acknowledged that we have done that. Clearly, that view is challenged politically in this House, and rightly so.

It is worth reflecting on the remarks of some of the people outside this House who have commented on the budget. Naturally, we will take a certain view, and Members opposite will take a certain view. Sometimes it is worthwhile reflecting on what others, who do not have a specific agenda, have to say.

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