Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The witnesses can understand why people get frustrated at the level of underspend presented to us, especially when one takes a snapshot of the crisis period we have just come out of. In 2011 the State was spending 50% more than it was taking in, it could not borrow on open markets and gaps in our society became even bigger which the State could not cover. I see the dormant accounts fitting into these gaps which would benefit from allocations that need to be made.

I am very concerned to see two major problems in the audit: allocation of funds and each Department's spending of funds. The summary shows that very well. Can Mr. McCarthy tell me what was the budget for the Department, not the Dormant Account Fund, in 2017?