Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 57: To ask the Minister for Transport the policy areas of his Department he will identify for cutbacks in view of the Government's target of budgetary cuts across each Department of at least 3%; the programmes or policy areas, such as road safety for example, that will have their funding ring-fenced; if he will target his Department's public relations budget for cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32512/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Estimates process for 2009 is underway within Government Departments in preparation for the Budget on 14th October next. My Department is preparing its proposals for 2009 in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Department of Finance and all spending areas are under examination. However, pending completion of these proposals and final decisions by the Government, it is not possible to say what areas might be affected by reductions in allocations in 2009. The overall amount that will be available to my Department for 2009 will be known on Budget day along with proposals for allocating that amount between the various spending areas.