Alex White (Labour)

In April this year the Government made it clear that €4 billion must be found in savings in December. We can tick that box because we know it. The Government stated also that this figure would be broken down into €2.5 billion in expenditure cuts and €1.5 billion in taxation measures. In August, out of the blue, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, said the entirety of the €4 billion must be found in expenditure cuts. My question is simple. When and why was that decided? That is pretty clear.