Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this issue and I look forward to listening to the rest of the contributions.

We have to speak about the budget in the context of the difficulties we are facing. Senators opposite referred to the acceptance of €4 billion in savings to stabilise the budget deficit. That is very noble from the Opposition, but when it gets down to specifics, the proposals get very watery. No matter what motion the Government brought forward to the Dáil to reduce the deficit, there would be opposition from the other side of the House.