Fiscal space Fiscal space Fiscal space is the flexibility of a government in its spending choices, and, more generally, to the financial well-being of a government. Peter Heller (2005) defined it “as room in a government’s budget that allows it to provide resources for a desired purpose without jeopardizing the sustainability of its financial position or the stability of the economy.” There are different exact definitions for the term, and different metrics on how to measure it. The most influential definitions of the term come from international institutions, e.g., the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, the United Nations agencies,
Irish Fiscal Advisory Council in the United Kingdom (also formed after the financial crisis), and other equivalent members of the "Network of European Union Independent Fiscal Institutions" (which IFAC joined in September 2015). IFAC is structured as a Council of 5 members (one Chairperson) and a supporting analytical team of circa 6. The formal mandate of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (per IFAC website) is to: IFAC has been well received by Irish financial commentators and its publications are widely covered in the Irish media. The key mandated publications of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council are: The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has commenced an