asked the Minister for Finance the savings to date in different Departments; and if they are more or less than the amount sought in Supplementary Estimates to date.

Clare): Supplementary Estimates published to date amount to £234,601,020. Virtually all of this, that is to say a sum of £232,601,010, was provided for in the budget.

At this stage of the year there are, formally, no departmental savings as such and it is not usual practice to issue statements of projected savings.

Is the Minister of State aware that in the course of one of his most recent television interviews the Taoiseach referred to overruns in certain areas of expenditure? Incidentally, those television interviews of his have become more numerous of late. Can the Minister of State indicate if he has acquired any information since he was last unable to answer questions on this subject as to the over runs that the Taoiseach referred to? Has the Minister any information as to the extent of these over runs?

(Clare): The question is about savings to date in different Departments and I have answered that question. There is no question of an over run where the sum involved is concerned because it was provided for in the budget.

Would the Minister agree that the question refers to amounts sought in Supplementary Estimates and will he state if any amounts have been sought in the form of Supplementary Estimates in respect of any or all of the over runs in Government spending to which the Taoiseach referred in a recent television interview?

(Clare): As I said in my reply, the amount involved by way of Supplementary Estimates is £232,601,010 and this was provided for in the budget. Consequently, there is no question of an over run. There is a difference of £2 million by way of extra capital for Údarás na Gaeltachta. That was not provided for in the budget and will therefore have to be the subject either of a Supplementary Estimate or of some other form of provision later.

Am I correct in assuming, then, that the Minister for Finance knows nothing of the over runs that were referred to by the Taoiseach in the television interview in question?

(Clare): I have explained that there is no question of an over run where the Supplementary Estimates are concerned.

The Taoiseach said that there were over runs.

(Clare): Not in respect of these Estimates.

Is it the position that the Supplementary Estimates for the over runs have yet to be presented to us?