Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is the first year since 2014 that we have not had a balanced budget and I have been pleased with the way the moneys have been managed since I took over. The spending of these moneys is demand-led and all the available research suggests there is always fluidity in this scenario. Even with that, however, the Department has done an excellent job. The fact that demand in 2018 has been greater is a positive and yet we have still managed to make savings across the entire Vote, without them having to be forced upon us.

Many of them are significantly time-related. That demonstrates strong fiscal management of the budget.