Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Everyone was of the view that people were endeavouring to achieve and realise as many savings as possible over the past 18 months. To state that a letter of instruction was issued last week is a rather pathetic response. My point is that yesterday's announcement with regard to squeezing more out of the Croke Park agreement was about approximately €3 million out of €1.5 billion. The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council's report which the Taoiseach more or less dismissed in his initial comments paints a very difficult picture for everyone in society and Government in terms of the challenges, specifically concerns about growth rates and their impact on deficit reduction, concerns about our capacity to effect the deficit targets we wish to reach and concerns about rising unemployment. These are serious issues.

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