Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I am somewhat puzzled. The officials available to the previous Minister were the same as those available to the current Minister. The figures are those of the Minister's officials. The supplementary provision is in place as always. If the provision is to be out by 1% in the context of a €20 billion budget, then why, on the basis of those two points, this extraordinary, cynical, politically motivated comment that the figures are massaged? When the Minister makes such commentary, as per the recent Sunday Business Post article on 24 April, she alleges that a false projection has been portrayed by the Minister's officials.

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