Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for that. He is obviously also still the Minister for Public Expenditure and this joint committee is as much concerned with public expenditure as it is with finance. On the spending elements, the population is growing and people are living longer, which is welcome. Population growth in itself, however, puts a lot of pressure on things like school places and the Minister and his Departments will have to spend a lot more money just to stand still. When it comes to the projections and requirements heading into next year and the year after, how much extra money will be needed just to stand still? Has this been calculated in this way?