The Budget was widely criticised for "splashing cash" around and creating spending risks in the future.Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe responded: "Look, on one hand, they point to the difficulties in relation to the cost of living, and they condemn us for not spending more of the surplus. They can't have it both ways."The Government has tried to get the balance right."He said running large surpluses is the right thing to do given the dependence on "few taxpayers".He said the mult

The Budget was widely criticised for "splashing cash" around and creating spending risks in the future.Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe responded: "Look, on one hand, they point to the difficulties in relation to the cost of living, and they condemn us for not spending more of the surplus. They can't have it both ways."The Government has tried to get the balance right."He said running large surpluses is the right thing to do given the dependence on "few taxpayers".He said the multibillion-euro windfall in the Apple tax case will go into long-term investments and not day-to-day spending.