Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 24: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the reason he is unwilling to provide a costing of the proposals in the Programme for Government 2007 to 2012. [15699/08]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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As I have indicated in previous responses, the Programme for Government is a five year programme in which a number of guiding principles in relation to economic and budgetary matters have been set out. As the Deputy is aware, the first instalment of the delivery of this five year Programme for Government — Budget 2008 — was published in December. Budget 2008 announced all new spending and taxation measures in a single, unified way and was a significant reform providing for greater transparency. The costs associated with the decisions made were set out at Budget time. Taking account of the overall macroeconomic and fiscal environment, further instalments will be made in the subsequent Budgets over the lifetime of this Government.