Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct, the projected figure for this year is 0.43%. The actual outturn last year was 0.46%, not 0.47%. There has been a 4% decrease this year and a slight percentage decrease each year. This has been in the context of the downturn in the economy, the bailout programme, the troika and the attempt to achieve national recovery. There was a commitment given in the programme for Government to try to reach the 0.7% target by 2015. The new policy document we have published states this target remains but that it will be reached when economic circumstances permit.

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