Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

We will outline the full programme on Tuesday next. When we criticised the budget introduced by the Government, which Deputy McGrath supported, in December, we selected two areas for severe criticism. First, we indicated that the budget did very little to promote job creation. Second, we outlined that the Government was receiving the growth figure without trying to influence it. To return to our previous discussion, it is possible through policy to change patterns of growth in an economy. Our approach will be to create jobs to build up confidence and give growth. I wish the Deputy's figures were correct but we do not have the resources to spend the kind of money to which he refers even over time.

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