Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Regarding the statement on expenditure, the overall consolidation to be achieved in this budgetary process is well accepted by most people and is supported by Fianna Fáil. This is the first opportunity for the new Fine Gael-Labour Party Government to outline its priorities and plans for the future. We agree with some of the choices but there are a number of individual decisions announced today that are simply unfair and unjust. These decisions will impact harshly on some people but the Government has been careful to protect some of its well-paid friends and cronies.

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