Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The last time an integrated Department presided over the Deputy's party, there was a deficit of 30% of GDP. It was so crippling that we could not borrow a bob anywhere and had to call in the IMF. That is the record the Deputy is now applauding.

It is a joke. In truth, the Deputy knows well that the €1.2 billion is due to timing factors in many cases. I will offer some details. A sum of €177 million arises from delayed EU receipts from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, which will be received next year. In the Department of Education and Skills, €77 million relates to an accounting alteration required by the Comptroller and Auditor General of money that was accounted for in 2013 but will now be accounted for this year, so it will reduce the expenditure in 2013. I can go through each of the Departments, but the Deputy knows all of this. The only substantial additional moneys was a decision to allocate €510 million in cash to the Department of Health due to the additional work it has undertaken this year. The Deputy would have something to say if we were to close hospitals rather than provide the money for essential health services.

See this speech in context