Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

The Government has indicated that in seeking to reach its target of €4 billion in cutbacks, income tax rates and social welfare payments will not be touched. This raises the question of where the reductions will be targeted, if the money is not coming from those sources. It is unacceptable for the Minister to say that the process of analysing expenditure should not be available to people beyond a narrow grouping around the Cabinet table. The Minister and other Government members have correctly said that it is essential that we consider all options and make the right decisions, driven by the principles of fair play and transparency. If the Minister is serious about that, it is incumbent on him to publish this document in full.

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