Brendan Howlin defends budget addition of €1.5bn to Government spending

The Government are not worse than Fianna Fáil in terms of excessive spending increases, Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin insisted yesterday.

The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC) severely criticised the last-minute addition of €1.5bn to Government spending this year, saying it “went against the spirit” of the rules governing European budgets. IFAC chairman John McHale said spending this year will be 4% higher than planned a year ago — a larger upward adjustment to plans than occurred in any year during the property boom.

Mr Howlin said any suggestion that the Government was being reckless in its spending allocations was “absolutely wide of the mark”.