Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

We had a budget in this House just a few weeks ago. Is the budget not the place to answer the question this group has been asked to answer, namely, where savings can be made as soon as possible. On Friday a public sector reform document was lodged with great fanfare. It took several months, much consultation and 12 members. I am amazed we are outsourcing to a group, however eminent, this task which is a Cabinet job. It is the most serious indictment of Cabinet. We need another group of independent people to tell the Government how to manage the economy. However eminent the group, what is the Cabinet and Government's job? Where is the leadership? Announcing yet another board when there is a cutback on agencies is extraordinary. Perhaps the Leader can put that to the Minister, who will address this House on Friday. We look forward to hearing about his macro plan.

Today's editorial in The Irish Times states former donors to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul have now become recipients of financial aid from the charitable organisation. This is the public face of these cutbacks. Huge numbers of people are going to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which has not seen such numbers for a generation. We need decisions and a plan from the Government and I hope we will hear them on Friday. I was not very reassured by the interview the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, gave on RTE this morning. It seems he has played his hand and there is no new plan to deal with the worsening economic situation.