Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

If funds are not in place, they obviously cannot obtain them. It is a question of the Minister figuring out if it is possible to allocate funds out of existing budgets, but that is a matter for him to consider. We have a set amount of money to discharge and it is not a question of finding money, given that we are borrowing a considerable amount of money to do so many other things. The purpose of these exercises is to try to pull together public policy in a way that will bring more effectiveness and greater output for the funds invested. These funds are not infinite.

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