Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister but surely the Government did not enter into programme for Government commitments without costing them in advance. That would have been foolhardy in the extreme. What are the costs of those commitments over and above the Revised Estimates for 2016?

Under the new budgetary process, we will shortly see Estimates. However, discussing the 2017 Estimates would be a vacuous process if we did not know the implications of the 2016 outturn figures. Regarding the Garda Vote specifically, what is the Minister's best shot at the additionality that will be required? I do not doubt that the Minister has asked about and has been well briefed - he has very good officials - on the expected health overrun this year. Will there be additional money for delayed discharges, the fair deal scheme, the winter initiative and the waiting list initiative? This morning on the news, I listened to the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, who wanted an emergency €80 million fund for new drugs. Will that be provided as well?

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