Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

No, it was roughly the same as in previous years in term of the expectations that were there for the Estimates process. I have now done lots of them. The expectations are always really high. It may even be a bit higher this year because, undoubtedly, there has been a change in expectations regarding what the State can deliver and what it can fund in the aftermath of the pandemic. Expectations at the start of every negotiation for the spending of every budget are always multiples of the money that the Government has available to spend and this year was no different in that regard.