Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The concern is that, while moving outside the EDP and into the preventative arm, investment in real terms in essential public services will not see the kind of boom at which the Minister hinted during the spring economic statement. In the Minister's Comprehensive Expenditure Review Report 2015-2017, the planned investment in areas such as health and education were underwhelming. It suggests a Government strategy not of any great investment in such services, which have borne the brunt of very serious cuts, but of a holding position. The Minister will agree with me that he cannot argue from one side of his mouth that there will be relief in terms of investment in services while adopting an "as you were" position on real investment.

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