Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The issue is what is sustainable for this country in the present circumstances and how do we ensure that we are in a position to promote policies of social inclusion. That last can only be done on the basis of sustainable finances. If one does not have sustainable finances, what one is really saying to people is that we will maintain the present level of provision for as long as we can but, as soon as we run out of funds, we will have to cut that by 40% or 50%. It is a far better proposition to get a sustainable level going forward and an adjustment over a period of years that would be sustainable and that would still compare quite favourably with our European counterparts.

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