Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have learned much over the past seven years. The Deputy will remember much of it in terms of the debates and the hard decisions which needed to be made in difficult circumstances in the build-up to budgets, particularly five, six and seven years ago when he, as then Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, had to make difficult choices. I am glad to say we are not in that situation any longer but we still have choices to make because we still have challenges. While the economy has recovered, society has significant pressures. Housing is one of those issues and health reform is another. We have other issues to which we need to respond in this budget, namely, Brexit and the challenges it poses.

The Government has learned the lessons of some of the policy mistakes of the past, especially those linked to property. We will not be repeating them.

See this speech in context