Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, who is representing the Minister for Finance on this important day for the advancement of our economy. I welcome the Budget Statement and I support the motion.

This is a prudent and careful budget which provides for a well managed economy. I have no doubt that it will be the keystone for our continued future economic development. We are in the middle of a difficult economic period and the Minister for Finance and the Government are working well to deal with the situation. This budget has three key objectives, as set out by the Minister in the Budget Statement. The first is to protect the weaker sections of society, an objective which is understood and accepted on all sides of the House and which formed a critical element of most of the recently published budget submissions to the Minister. Investing in our future to position ourselves for a return to the growth levels we enjoyed in recent years is another key element of the budget. The third objective is to secure stable public finances to safeguard the gains we have already made.