Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

I take the advice of the fiscal advisory council very seriously. The council provides very good analysis, which is carefully worked out, and offers prudent advice. I will certainly take cognisance of the advice we receive. We are taking steps to grow the economy. As the Deputy is aware we have a very detailed job-creation plan in place and this is being driven forward strongly through the provision of quarterly reports. We hope that despite the difficult circumstances in our customer countries, we will continue - as was the case last year - to grow the economy. If we could achieve stronger growth rates, these would obviously be of benefit to everybody. We are living in times of great uncertainty. That uncertainty continues to hold sway across Europe. It appears that the United States is emerging from the difficulties in which it found itself but the position in this regard is not absolutely certain. I would not like to make predictions in the first half of this year - over which I could be expected to stand - until matters settle down. One can speculate and be optimistic but there is quite an amount of volatility abroad. It is, therefore, difficult to build a model in respect of the accuracy of which one could vouch as we move towards 2015.

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