Play
Stop
Nine News: George Lee, Economics Editor, discusses the Minister for Finance's claims that government spending efficiently achieves its goals
The Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen, has strongly defended the government's record on public spending in the face of opposition claims that much of the money is wasted.
Mr Cowen said that the vast bulk of government spending efficiently achieves exactly what it is supposed to.
The Minister also rejected a suggestion from the ESRI earlier this week that the government would damage the economy by engaging in a pre-election spending binge.
He insisted that he will engage in responsible policies in relation to the budget.
The minister was delivering the annual business lecture of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Dublin.
