Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply.

I just want to ask one or two specific questions. We understand what the Minister is saying about the move from the corrective arm to the preventive arm. With regard to the target, we are expected to be at 2.3% this year. The Minister did not tell us what level of reduction will be required for 2016. I think we have to make a reduction of the order of 0.6%. The Minister mentioned that the increase in public expenditure will be linked to the potential growth in the economy. I do not think that is the full picture. I suggest it would be more accurate to say that expenditure will be linked to the average potential growth in the economy over a ten-year horizon. This ten-year horizon was mentioned in replies to previous parliamentary questions, but the Minister studiously avoided any reference to it in the reply to this question. Was that an oversight or has there been a change in policy? Is the Minister trying to unlink himself from the previous ten-year horizon? I think people would be concerned if there was a move away from it. The Minister might tell us whether the costs of the Lansdowne Road agreement will be included in those figures.

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