Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Final question, Chair, is just on the issue of ... of fiscal policy in the Department during your tenure, Mr. Doyle. And Governor Honohan makes a number of criticisms, as you know, in terms of fiscal policy in his report. But there's one reference on page 30 of his report where he says: "And, in a final twist, real expenditure rose by over 11 per cent in both 2007 and 2008, an unfortunate late burst of spending which boosted the underlying deficit at almost the worst possible time." What was the advice that you were giving, at that time, to Government about spending, going into 2007 and going into 2008? The outturn was an increase of about 11%, in both years.