Govt depts underspend budgets by €3.5bn

24/06/2005 - 08:09:04
Government departments reportedly underspent their budgets by more than €3.5bn over the past eight years.

Reports this morning said the vast bulk of the money not spent between 1997 and 2004 was returned to the Department of Finance for use in other areas.

The reports said the departments returning money included health and education, which both claim they lack the resources to tackle ongoing problems in hospitals and schools.