Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The first and most important thing we can do is run a surplus in our national finances. We will run a surplus this year, provided that we continue to deliver our expenditure plans as we did up to the end of May. If we deliver that surplus it will represent 0.2% of our national income, approximately €600 million of revenue, which we will not spend. The best and most effective thing we can do is increase that surplus so that if there is a change we are not spending all that we collect. Deputy Curran has not done this in his questions today, but I must make one point. On one hand I increasingly hear Members of the Dáil saying we need to ensure we are not reliant on corporation tax receipts in future. I accept that. That is why we need to run a larger surplus. On the other hand, Members say we need to spend more in other areas. We cannot do both. We are in the middle of trying to strike a balance that is sustainable for our economy and for the Dáil. The short answer to the Deputy's question of what we can do is that we can increase the surplus in the national accounts.

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