Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I sincerely hope that the good work being done under many of those schemes will be retained. The Estimates will be available tomorrow and we can only wait to see how circumstances evolve. There are many interdepartmental committees looking at different aspects of CE schemes at present. We all recognise that there was some fat some years ago but it is almost gone.

I wish that the positions would be prioritised because some of the schemes, which I have witnessed at first hand, are doing some good work. Can I give Senator Brian Hayes a guarantee that tomorrow will be a dry day? No.