Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are dealing with the Defence and Foreign Affairs Estimates today. For what it is worth, I think that the Defence Estimate is pretty straightforward. There is a relatively small number of extra pensioners that we must cater for and I will go into details in a second. The rest of the Estimate essentially accounts for the new wage agreement that has been agreed.

The Foreign Affairs Estimate is less straightforward. There is an extra €114 million. Basically we are trying to respond to things that have happened in the second half of the year with money that, fortunately, has been made available through the budget. I am in the hands of the committee in terms of how much time is spent on each Estimate.