Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

My question was more specific than the Minister's reply suggests. I asked him to indicate the amount of savings he expects to be identified for his Department. Of the €3 billion in savings for which the Minister for Finance has asked, what specific proportion has been asked of the Department of Social Protection? If he has not been given a specific figure by the Minister for Finance, is he drawing up a list of proposed cost-saving measures, or how is he going about it? In short, has the Minister for Finance specified that X amount must be cut from the social protection budget or is it up to the Minister for Social Protection to come up with his own proposals?

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