Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Minister will outline in his Budget Statement what he regards as the relevant rate of growth for next year based on all of these assessments. It is well within the very considerable amount of documentation and commentary available on the prospects for the economy next year. The answer to Deputy Gilmore's question is very simple. If he wants to be in Government and get a mandate to run this country, he should be prepared to take decisions that will get the country back on the road to recovery.

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