Cabinet Minister Warned Not To Make Their Department's Case In Public

Cabinet minister warned not to make their department's case in public

The Public Expenditure Minister says he can "understand" Ministers setting out their Department's cases ahead of the Budget. Brendan Howlin's comments come after the Taoiseach rebuked Health Minister Leo Varadkar for voicing concern over his Department's over-run and querying whether key reforms could be introduced. Minister Howlin says "detailed discussions" with each of his Cabinet colleagues are yet to begin. But he says he can "understand" Ministers looking for more funds - but the State's finances are still in the process of recovery. "Well it's always in the way - minister are obviously looking at their own budget line, what they want to achieve" he said. "The horizon I suppose between now and the next election is difficult enough and people are setting new priorities and they want to ensure that those priorities can be completed - so I understand that". "But we have gone through the most difficult period of economic recovery in the history of our state" he added.