Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The figure of €151 million was the initial estimate by the Department of what would be needed during the year. As part of the Estimates process, when one adds up all the various pieces such as PPE, testing and tracing, vaccines and so forth a lower provisional figure was agreed of €500 million with the understanding that if there was a significant wave, which we had with Omicron, that spending would go up. The €151 million was the Department's initial estimate as to what would be required. The estimate now for the total year is €118 million.