Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 59: To ask the Minister for Finance the major policy documents (details supplied) developed by the previous Government which will be pursued by the current Government. [5917/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Government has set out its programme in the document A Government for National Recovery 2011-2016. The measures contained in the programme represent the Government's assessment of the policies that should be pursued in the best interests of the country. The Government is fully committed to reaching the 3 per cent of GDP General Government deficit target. However, we believe that the appropriate time-scale to achieve this is over the period to 2015. It is important to remember that this one-year extension to the time period for restoring order to the public finances had already been provided for by the Ecofin Council agreement of December last and as such is entirely consistent with the views of the EU Commission.

In order to enhance our international credibility, the Government believes it is appropriate to adhere to the aggregate budgetary adjustment as set out in the National Recovery Plan for the combined period 2011-2012. In preparation for Budget 2013, we will review progress on deficit reduction, in terms of achieving the objective of reaching the 3 per cent of GDP deficit target by 2015. The overall macroeconomic and fiscal forecasts are currently being reviewed in light of emerging economic and fiscal data, as well as the Programme for Government and they will be presented in the Irish Stability Programme Update which is due to be submitted to the EU Commission by the end of April in line with the terms of the new EU Semester.

The Government believes that job creation is central to any recovery strategy and for this reason the Government will bring forward specific proposals in this regard in the coming weeks, as promised as part of the Programme for Government's "first 100 days" commitment.

The Public Service Agreement, or Croke Park Agreement as it is commonly referred to, represents an agreed response by the management and unions in the public service to the need to reduce the cost of the public service as a contribution to addressing the deficit in the public finances. The Agreement facilitates the reduction in public service employee numbers while maintaining industrial peace and maintaining the provision of necessary public services to the maximum extent possible. The Agreement is consistent with the agreed Programme for Government and the Government is committed to maximising the potential of the Agreement.