Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I reassure the Deputy and the House that we will always provide the resources necessary to respond to emergencies. Be it a flooding event or any other major humanitarian issue that arises, we will always step in and provide the necessary support. In adopting budget 2023 we have a strong fiscal framework and we are projecting a significant surplus next year. As the Deputy knows, we are in a position to put €6 billion into a national reserve between now and the end of next year.

While there are undoubtedly global economic headwinds that will have an impact on Ireland, we are coming into this period in a position of strength.

We have the public finances in a healthy state, which gives us the capacity to respond across next year to the type of scenarios that the Deputy outlined and indeed others that may arise in an unforeseen way.

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