Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for that clarification. My follow-up question relates to the defence budget. Based on percentage of GDP, we already have the smallest defence budget in the EU. Compounding this problem has been the practice in recent years of significant Department of Defence Vote moneys being returned to the Central Fund at year end. The size of that return depends on one's interpretation of it, but I am particularly concerned this year. Most of the Deputies present will know that we have voted through Revised Estimates for nearly all Departments in the past few weeks with the notable exception of the Department of Defence. I deduce from that that expenditure under the Department of Defence's Vote has not reached 70% or 80% of its threshold yet. I am concerned that a significant sum of money will still be unspent by the end of the year. Will the Tánaiste provide assurances or a suggestion that all the moneys given to the Vote at the start of this year will be used for their intended purpose and none will be handed back unspent at the end of the year?

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