Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)

The Taoiseach will be in here tomorrow and I want him to state clearly the policy decisions that will underpin the expenditure cuts registered in the tables at the back of the circulated document. I hope the Government is not faking it. I want the Taoiseach to explain the expenditure cuts.

I notice that in the four year plan there is a figure of €700 million for the sale of State assets. The tables in the back of the circulated document put the figure at €660 million but there was not one reference to this in the Minister's speech. I am told the figures come from the intention to sell Bord Gáis and the Minister has permission from the European Commission to pay this into the Exchequer by way of dividend; yet the Minister was totally silent on it in his speech. When I see such things I worry about the accuracy of the Minister's figures.

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