Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have not yet heard any Deputy come into the House and criticise me for increasing expenditure ceilings to put more resources into the health service last year or make funding available to deal with flooding and the refurbishment of primary school buildings. If anything, every day I face criticism for not increasing them enough. There are continual demands for more expenditure in many areas in which I know expenditure is needed, but as of yet I have not heard a single Deputy compliment me or praise the fact that we have managed to stay inside the expenditure ceilings, or criticise us when we change them at any point.

As to where we are this year, the Deputy is correct. We made an adjustment in respect of the timing of a Landsdowne Road agreement payment and bringing it forward. The cost for the year, as is known, is €125 million. At the end of the first quarter, the net underspend as against profile was €150 million. Across the year, I will deal with how the adjustment is to be funded.

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