Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will recognise the pivotal role played by my Department in successfully delivering on key Government priorities such as securing fiscal stability, sustainable economic growth and social progress. As a result, Ireland was on course to exit the excessive deficit procedure at the end of 2015, with a forecast general Government deficit of close to 1.5% of GDP for 2015.  That is what we estimate the outturn figure will be. When one considers that five years ago, we set out on a path to have a deficit of 3%, which many commentators said was unachievable, and that we now have a deficit of half that, it shows the remarkable journey the Irish people have embarked on. It has brought us to a secure position.

The recently published capital plan sets out a €27 billion multi-annual Exchequer capital investment to be made over the next six years. That will lay the foundations of continued and sustained growth.

Public sector reform was a key element of the Government's response to the crisis and continues to be an essential part of the strategy for recovery. Significant progress has been made since the publication of the first public service reform plan. A second public sector reform plan was published in January 2014 which puts a new focus on improved service delivery and achieving better outcomes. 

Managing the delivery of public services within budgetary allocations is a key responsibility of each Minister and Department. With Ireland moving to the preventive arm of the Stability and Growth Pact in 2016, it will be essential that every Department prudently manages delivery of services within their voted allocations to maintain the hard-won fiscal stability and support economic progress that is now a real potential for us.

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