Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 84: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the targets in the finance area in the programme for Government of June 2002 which were not delivered. [17348/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, a full progress report on the Programme for Government between Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats of June 2002 was published in April 2007 and is available on the Department of the Taoiseach website.

As outlined in that report, substantial progress has been made on meeting the targets set out in the Programme for Government. In the finance area good progress has been made on all targets. In particular the public finances have been maintained in a healthy condition while delivering dramatic reductions in taxation. Personal and business taxes have been kept low in order to strengthen and maintain the competitive position of the Irish economy. The budget and economic policies pursued by the Government have helped to generate unprecedented growth in the Irish economy, a spectacular increase in the number of people at work and the effective elimination of long-term unemployment.

The new Programme for Government will follow on the targets set out in the last Programme for Government.