Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I am not an economist but if I were to become Minister for Finance tomorrow morning, or even in two years time, I imagine I would be told that the main task of the Minister for Finance is to control spending. Ultimately, Ministers for Finance have some role in bringing in revenue but they cannot control it. They can bring about conditions to ensure revenue will come in every month but the one area over which the Minister for Finance has direct control is spending. He must ensure that any money allocated is spent and that it the money allocated is not overspent. This Government has a terrible record in that area. Every quarter we see George Lee on the television telling us that revenue receipts are up but that the Government has underspent. That should be good news but it is not.