Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Cabinet, as the Deputy is aware, has been considering these matters for some weeks. As has been stated, officials from the Department of Finance have been made available to the relevant Opposition spokespersons during that period. Those spokespersons, as they seek to formulate the proposals they wish to have costed or considered, will continue to have access to the officials between now and the introduction of the budget in order that any queries they make have with regard to various policy options can be dealt with.

In in the middle of November we expect to publish a four-year plan which will outline in detail, based on Government decisions to be taken in the interim, how best to deal with this adjustment. The debate today offers a very strong opportunity to consider, on the basis of an adjustment of €15 billion and taking an average GDP growth rate of 2.75%, how the adjustment should be dealt with in regard to taxation, expenditure, prospects for growth, whether people agree with the figures and updates on the international scene. It also offers the opportunity to air microeconomic policy views or initiatives that would be of assistance and should be incorporated into any plan.

That is the state of play with regard to current deliberations and I do not believe any of us are disbarred from coming forward with strong views on all those areas. When the plan is provided and finalised we will clearly have the opportunity for a detailed debate in that respect as well.

See this speech in context