asked the Minister for Finance if he will enumerate the new and desirable schemes which had to be postponed in order to achieve the cutback in the rate of growth proposed in the Budget and referred to by him in the Dáil on 22nd June, 1971.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Current and Capital Expenditure.
15.
A reduction of £76 million was made by the Government, for the reasons indicated in my Financial Statement of 28th April last, on the original combined current and capital expenditure programmes, amounting to £797 million, proposed by Departments for 1971-72. As I said in this House on 22nd June, this reduction involved the postponement of many new and desirable schemes for which Departments had included provision in the original estimates of expenditure. I do not think, however, that it would be appropriate for me to indicate what the schemes were that had to be deferred.
Did the Minister not say in this House that these deductions constituted the main effort of his budgetary policy this year? If it is all that important he should tell us exactly what shape it has taken.
What is important is that the proposed expenditure is not being proceeded with and thereby a substantial contribution in that regard is being made towards stabilising the economy. As I have indicated, the effects are beginnig to manifest themselves in the consumer price index.
This is a unique argument. It is the first time that a Minister has told us he did not increase taxation in order to stabilise the economy.
Perhaps the Deputy was not in the House recently——
I am always here.
Perhaps he was not listening when, in reply to a question put down by Deputy O'Donovan, I gave the relevant quotation for previous years where exactly the same point was being made.
But not to the same extent.
I agree.
I am calling Question No. 16.