Ivor Callely (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to participate in this debate on expenditure measures for the stabilisation of our public finances. I listened with interest to what Senator Alex White had to say. I am somewhat surprised at some of his comments. He affords no recognition that the Government has worked hard to negotiate, discuss, seek advice and consult in order to devise a framework within which we can best ascertain policy direction, the priority being to stabilise the public finances. These are precisely the actions for which Senator White has called. The acid test in regard to criticisms of such issues as the numbers of Ministers of State, ministerial support staff and so on is what those making the criticisms did when they were in Government.