Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Professor McHale made reference to the extra spending at the end of 2015, saying we could have reduced the deficit by a further 0.5% of GDP had it not taken place, but is it not remarkable that we are forecasting the figures we are forecasting for the deficit? The latest Department of Finance figure is somewhat below what the professor suggested it would be - 1.7% at the end of the year.

Is that not remarkable compared to where we were four or five years ago?