Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I think the criticisms of both Mr. Michael Tutty and Mr. Seamus Coffey, both men of the highest experience, were not about increasing capital expenditure but the fact that the budget outcome forecast one year was €72 billion and the actual outcome a year later was €82 billion. That was not because of an overrun on the children's hospital or on the national broadband plan, which we have not spent on yet, but increased spending in every area. There was a €10 billion difference between what we expected to spend and what we did spend.

Is the Minister projecting to increase borrowing in this budget that may give additional fiscal space to the stated €2.8 billion that IFAC has agreed? Is there potential for a larger budget?