Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

This Government is choosing to divert those scarce resources, albeit not at levels we previously enjoyed, to the areas of the economy and society where they are most needed. Today, despite the tough decisions we have had to take, we have been able to maintain core social welfare payments, including jobseeker's allowance and State pensions. We have maintained the family income supplement, carers' entitlements and disability allowances, our support for special needs assistants in our schools and the pupil-teacher ratio in the primary sector.

Tomorrow my colleague, the Minister for Finance, will announce his first budget. This should be viewed in conjunction with the measures I have outlined today. As a country we have already endured four years of hardship yet we remain an innovative and creative people. Faced with a more benign European economy and with clear and determined leadership, this nation will prosper again.

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