Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)

I will keep my questions short.

In preparation for the budget, has the Minister any indication as to the ratio anticipated in the correction between current spending cuts and tax increases? In regard to the reforms under way under the Croke Park deal, what savings have been made through reforms to date and how are they benchmarked? What savings are envisaged in 2011 and how will they be assessed?

What specific measures does the Minister anticipate or are at least under consideration in terms of stimulating the enterprise economy, in particular the SME sector? If the Minister is to achieve his target growth rate of 2.75%, the SME sector will need quite a degree of stimulation and that has not happened to date. Effectively,the SME sector has been ignored in the past three budgets.

In regard to wobbly backbenchers and Independent Deputies, does the Minister envisage a scenario where the Government will do bilateral deals with these individuals to keep them on board in order to pass the budget?

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