Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is State money that we want to have available in an exceptional circumstance. We had these moneys available through the National Pensions Reserve Fund, NPRF, and they were used in a certain manner. We want to ensure that they do not get used for bailing out others. There are other tools available.

The note that the Deputy mentioned was made available before the Bill was drafted. We want to have a pot of money available for a wild, unforeseen circumstance. None of us wants to use it for that purpose, but we want it to be available.