Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree that we should look at the totality of spending but I am concerned as to what the Minister is looking at it for. I have made the point about how budget day announcements fail in many cases to meet the need on the ground in various different services such as health, education, local government etc. Are we going to look at that, at how spending gets to services on the ground and at how it makes a difference to people's lives? Will the review be pre-determined or is the Minister going to open up the scope of it for consultation beforehand? I presume the Minister has a savings target in mind. Has he? Is the purpose of the review either to improve and enhance services or to deliver savings? In terms of the spending reviews in Ireland and their lessons for the future, what kind of consultation or involvement will there be within Government and with people who will be affected by this review?

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