Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I can state to Deputy Higgins that the Economic Management Council meets on a regular basis. Moreover, it deals with issues in a preparatory sense before they go to the Cabinet for its approval. While I am aware of the decision taken here, as I told Deputy Mattie McGrath earlier during Leaders' Questions, the Government has set out its figures for this year in respect of €300 million of savings. These are central and are a fundamental element of what the Government must do. One can only cut services to a point. It always is a challenge to reduce the level of public services that come to be taken for granted. I remind Deputy Higgins that the Government did not cut back on any social welfare entitlement, did not increase income tax and took 330,000 people out of the requirement for the universal service charge.

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