Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes, it is like a yo-yo. I hope the Government's strategy works.

I welcome the comprehensive review of expenditure and am of the view that this must be maintained. I also welcome the cap on health insurance contributions. When the Minister of State brought the Finance Act before the House, we raised with him the fact that the Milliman report shows that people in Ireland spend up to 11.6 days in hospital for treatment whereas the average length of stay internationally is 3.7 days. As a result, the tax break must be removed. I hope that Pat McLoughlin, who is investigating this matter, will submit his report soon and that it will be debated in the House. I am of the view that we have been funding an excessively expensive health insurance system and that there should have been much more competition than has been the case.

I welcome the review of the capital investment programme. It is welcome that growth has returned and that an additional 33,800 jobs have been created in the private sector. I suspect much of this is due to the degree to which wages have fallen during the recession.