Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 October 2004
15 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Finance if he has satisfied himself that the extra tax collected in the past seven years is delivering value for money through the spending increases which it was used to finance. [24845/04]
View answerBetween 1997 and 2004, the Government has more than doubled total spending on public services to over €41 billion. Priority has been given to expenditure on social welfare, health, education and investment. Gross current spending on health has increased by 176% to €9.6 billion in 2004, spending on social welfare has increased by 97% to €11.3 billion while expenditure on education has increased by 103% to €6.1 billion. Voted capital spending to address the country's infrastructural deficit has increased by 178%. The general Government debt ratio has decreased from 65 % of GDP in 1997 to an expected ratio of less than 32% by the end of this year. In addition, nearly €10.5 billion has been set aside for long-term pension and social security costs by investing in the National Pension and Reserve Fund.
This level of spending has been achieved in tandem with the preservation of a stable budgetary position and major reductions in personal taxation. It has resulted in significant improvements in public services across the board and I invite the Deputy to raise this aspect with individual Ministers.
