FF cranked up spending to ‘buy’ two elections

SUCCESSIVE Fianna Fáil-led governments cranked up spending to help buy two elections but voters paid the price for these expensive promises.

Pre-election Cabinets sidelined budgetary advice of the Department of Finance and aggressively sought to tighten the country’s belt after being returned to power.

This emerged clearly in the report of the independent review panel on the capacity of the Department of Finance.