Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 8 October 2020

Committee on Budgetary Oversight

Pre-Budget Engagement: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

Photo of Michael McGrathMichael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The level of support that we have provided for the economy by way of the economic supports, the liquidity measures that have been provided, and the additional capital investment stands up very well in comparison with our European peers. The data are there to back that up in terms of the quantum of resources per capitathat our Government and the previous Government provided. When it comes to the public expenditure implications, I am sure the Deputy has seen the pre-budget expenditure update for 2020, which provides a very detailed breakdown of the extra €16 billion of supports that have been provided. There are some very large chunks there in relation to employment affairs and social protection, the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, the wage subsidy scheme, and health, of course. It also includes the business supports and the extra investment we have had to make to keep our public transport companies running, so that they can operate with much reduced capacity, and the funding in education for our schools, and further and higher education institutions. Therefore, it is a very significant response. I am not sure how it compares in terms of additional public expenditure on services with other European countries, but it is something we can check.

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