Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

In the course of every Estimates process every Government does a very detailed economic assessment of the impact of particular measures. There are political choices to be made. For example, were we to abolish entirely our overseas aid budget, it would have no effect on the Irish economy but it would be a very retrograde step, in my view. This is an example of an area of expenditure where there is no return to the domestic economy but there is an important international moral obligation shared, I hope, by all of us in this House. In making a detailed assessment-----

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