Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The party's health spokesman said at the weekend that we have not reduced public expenditure sufficiently. In what areas in health, education and social welfare has expenditure not been reduced sufficiently? It is time for Fine Gael to come forward. We have set out our position in the budget. We have indicated where the tax and expenditure changes for next year and the year after will have to be made and the size of those cuts. We have heard nothing from Fine Gael in this respect.

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