Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 62: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will agree that EU Commission ECB EU Council treatment of programme countries and non-programme countries in relation to general Government budget deficits and public expenditure is fundamentally different and if he has raised the issue at Ecofin meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15983/12]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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All EU Member States that are currently subject to the excessive deficit procedure are required to correct their public deficits within an agreed timeframe, irrespective of whether or not they are in a programme of external financial assistance. As the deputy will be aware, Ireland must correct its excessive deficit – that is reduce to below 3 per cent of GDP – by 2015, and the Government has outlined its medium term strategy in order to achieve this.