Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

Last week the Taoiseach and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, invited the leaders of the Opposition to meet to discuss the budgetary crisis. The Taoiseach proposed that the Opposition should have full access to briefings by the Department of Finance so that it would appreciate fully the scale of that challenge and to afford it the opportunity to formulate its proposals for putting the public finances on a firm footing. In fairness, I believe many on the benches opposite are up for that challenge and are working hard on policies which Government must and will examine in a considered and serious way.

The Labour Party produced proposals yesterday, despite the criticism from Deputy Rabbitte. I have looked at them and the Government will do so also. In regard to capital spending, it proposes a €2.5 billion cut. It does not say which projects it will cancel but perhaps we will hear in due course. In regard to current spending, it talks about payroll reductions.

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