Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The economy, thankfully, has improved since we published the figures included in the budgetary documentation last October and we have progressed further. Last October the deficit we expected in 2015 was 2.7%. The spring economic statement indicated that it would be 2.3%. We have made more progress, with more people back at work and the unemployment rate falling quicker than we envisaged. Thankfully, this is all good news and will give more scope to address issues such as, for example, the demographic pressures we are facing. We have started recruiting gardaí again, as well as 1,700 teachers, including resource teachers, and 1,000 nurses. That is the capacity we have because of the improvement in the economy.

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