Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

We have outlined our strategy in our supplementary budget. We set out our budgetary position for the course of 2009. We indicated at the beginning of this year that all spending programmes would be reviewed and we employed some people to help with that. They are bringing forward their recommendations. The Minister for Finance expects to have that report this week. It is not envisaged that we would act on that report on its receipt, it is part of the budgetary process for 2010. The Minister made it clear in the supplementary budget announcement for 2009 that the adjustments for 2009 have been made in respect of the budget introduced last October and the supplementary budget introduced last April. That was the case at all times.

We will now begin Estimates and preparation for the 2010 budget starting from adoption of a budgetary strategy after mid-year. That work will continue throughout the autumn. There will be plenty of opportunity in the next session for Deputies to discuss all aspects of expenditure policy in a range of areas. The Government will make the decisions on the precise areas of savings, which are necessary, unavoidable, which will not be in any way painless but which must be made in the interest of correcting the public finances and having a prospect of growing the economy as quickly as possible. We know from recent economic history that deferral of that sort of decision under previous Administrations at certain times-----

See this speech in context