The Government is to begin announcing bailouts across departments today - expected to total as much as €1.6 billion.

The three biggest supplementary estimates - for Health, Social Protection and Environment - will not be announced for another two weeks.

Today €470m will be provided - the Department of Education will get an extra €175m, while Transport will get an extra €100m.

There is also €35m being provided for gardaí.

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin has told the Dáil that they had extra money to boost services as more taxes are being taken in.

He also explained the funding is in addition to continuing efforts to reduce the national deficit: