Dan Boyle (Green Party)

A further factor is that forecasts for economic growth must be revised downwards. Although such growth still will occur, this has happened because of the judgment that has been made on Ireland by international ratings agencies and this is the reality we must face. Like Senator O'Toole, I am grateful for the opportunity afforded to Opposition parties to go to the Department of Finance yesterday. The meeting between the leaders that will take place later this week, as well as possible other meetings with key spokespersons, will advance that process. If there is one message that must be sent from this House, it is that this budget, which Senator O'Toole has rightly stated must be front-loaded and after which the four-year budgetary strategy process needs to take a step-down approach, is one that will affect each citizen within the State and any attempt to pretend otherwise to the effect that there will be people who will not be affected by the decisions that must be made would not be honest.