Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I did not catch all those figures given by the Taoiseach, but in budget 2009 the summary of gross expenditure stated that the 2008 Estimate for the Taoiseach's Department was €199.9 million and the forecast was for an end of year outturn of €191.8 million, namely, that the Taoiseach's Department would come under budget by 4%, which was setting an example for all his other ministerial colleagues. Is that the case at the moment?

The expenditure in the Taoiseach's Department on consultancy in first six months of 2008 came to €385,896. By the end of August the figure had jumped to €639,000, which is an increase of 66% in only two months.

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