Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The bottom line is that this country is faced with substantial constrictions on its resources. There is no point in my pretending otherwise. I am obliged to fight my battle in Cabinet to ensure we have sufficient funding to maintain all of the Defence Forces' capabilities and meet our financial obligations to former members of the Defence Forces in regard to pensions, which are very substantial in the context of where we now stand. I was very pleased that we were able to maintain our support for ONE this year, as we did last year, and it is my intention that this support will continue. I am not in a position, however, to tell the Deputy that additional supports will be forthcoming. I would have to ask him to identify how the resources can be found to do so.

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