Tánaiste Simon Harris has rejected a Labour Party claim that services will be cut and scaled back owing to a levy on all Government departments to plug a shortfall in the Department of Education.
Government departments have been told they may have to reduce their expected spending in 2027 by between 0.1% and 1.4% as a direct result of increased financial demands on the Department of Education, which has a €646 million overrun.
"Which services will be cut or scaled back? What kind of cuts do you need to take place in health to fund the cost overruns in education?" asked Labour's finance spokesperson Ged Nash.
Mr Nash said the levy represented an effective cut in 2027 in every department's bduget and that seeking clarity on the matter had been "like pulling teeth".
The Tánaiste rejected the assertion that the levy represented a cut.
He said it represented "prudent good management of the public purse" to seek savings - even without the need for a levy.
"Money doesn't fall from a magic money tree", contended Mr Harris, who said the levy ranged from "0.02% to 1.4% in the context of a budget of €118 billion this year and €125 billion next year".
Mr Harris rejected as "baloney" that the Government was trying to avoid questions in the Dáil on the matter, with departments due to report on how they will make savings around the same time as the Dáil rises for the summer
Demand from data centres driving up electricity costs - Aontú
Aontú TD Paul Lawless has told the Dáil that demand from data centres is driving up the cost of electricity, with such centres having used 22% of electricity in the State in 2024.
The centres are paying about 50% less than ordinary folk, he said.
He cited a report from Friends of the Earth which claims that €1.4bn will be added to electricity bills in the coming years.
Over 300,000 people are in energy arrears, he said, and he urged the Government to regulate data centre use of electricity.
The Tánaiste said that it is a serious issue and pointed to the expanded fuel allowance, and the cut to excise tax on fuel.
Responding during Leaders' Questions, he said there is a need to accelerate the move to renewables.
Mr Harris also said that data centres enable the addition of €100bn to the economy, and maintenance of 875,000 jobs and he asked which of these would the deputy be happy to lose.
