Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I want to make a few points on that contribution. First, it seems now that the Leader of the Fine Gael Party is suggesting that the budgetary strategy of Fine Gael Party for this budget was that there would be no increase in income tax. The 2011 effect of our tax changes will yield €883 million, or €1.1 billion in a full year, in income tax revenue. Will Deputy Kenny during the course of his contribution on the budget debate kindly tell us how he would make the €6 billion adjustment by finding another €883 million cuts over and above what were announced by Government yesterday? Otherwise he is not in a position to have a budgetary strategy that is credible. One either increase taxes or one cuts expenditure.

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