Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 64: To ask the Minister for Finance if he has satisfied himself that all targets set in the current years budget are achievable; the possible exemptions if any; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32920/12]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Under the terms of the ECOFIN Council decision of December 2010, the State's General Government deficit must not exceed 8.6 per cent of GDP this year. This is the main quantitative budgetary target set for 2012. While there will inevitably be some pluses and minuses in the various revenue and expenditure areas, I am satisfied, primarily on the basis of the Exchequer Returns for the first half of the year, that the 8.6 per cent of GDP target will be achieved.