Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Medical card holders have increased by 540,000, or over 40%, an increase between 2008 and 2012 from 1.35 million to the highest level of medical card ownership in our history, currently at 1.89 million. The number of people of pensionable age has increased by 65,500, or 13.5%, since 2008.

Budget Reform

There are few areas where reform has been more manifest than it has been in the actual budgetary process. We have moved, in line with the new European arrangements, to an October budget, which should ensure we can achieve one key goal of the Oireachtas committee system: the examination of public spending before the money is actually spent. This should bring about a qualitative difference to our debates about spending over the next few years.

Our first task upon taking office as a new Government was to undertake a comprehensive review of expenditure. This was not a once-off effort. The review of what we do, how we do it and whether we are using the resources of the people appropriately and achieving the policy goals we have set has become the new normal. To this end, a further comprehensive review of expenditure and a review of the capital investment framework will commence in the coming months.

Public Service Reform

I would like to acknowledge the contribution public servants in this State have made to our recovery.

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