Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

It is not about cutting. For example, where we have increased overall expenditure, the measurable outputs from that in previous years has varied across different expenditure lines in terms of service delivery for citizens. Different policy changes are made in any given year, which mean the actual ELS within any Department can vary and change within the year and following further Government decisions. We are negotiating the total package of expenditure in the context of their existing base. That will form the basis of what else will be additional for next year.