asked the Minister for Finance the changes that have occurred in non-programme outlays, whether actual or estimated, since the capital budget, 1973-74 was prepared for publication.
22.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Capital Budget Programme.
21.
asked the Minister for Finance the manner in which the resources available to finance the capital budget, 1973-74, as published, differ from (a) the actual outturn at the latest available date and (b) the latest revised estimate.
23.
asked the Minister for Finance the changes he has sanctioned in the public capital programme expenditure for 1973-74 since the programme was prepared for publication.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 22 and 23 together.
The capital budget provisions for programme and non-programme expenditures are open to constant review and adjustment throughout the year in the light of current conditions of investment needs and resources availabilities. These factors may give rise to temporary internal adjustments in programme allocations. For this reason it is not the practice to publish statements of the position in advance of the definitive outturn figures of expenditure and resources which are made available in detail at budget time. At that stage, any adjustments that have arisen between estimates and outturn can be considered in the light of the overall budgetary review of the economy.
Am I to take it the Minister is now saying that there may well be items of capital expenditure not adverted to in the capital programme which he has sanctioned and which he is not prepared to disclose to the House?
I do not quite understand the Deputy.
One of the questions clearly asks the Minister to indicate what additional expenditure, over and above that specified in the capital budget, he has sanctioned. Would he explain to us if he is now saying that he is not prepared to give the House that information?
No. What I am saying is that it is not the practice to give a breakdown of information of this kind and that it will be available when the annual accounts are furnished. This practice which was observed by the Deputy when he was Minister, and by his predecessors, is one to which I believe I should also adhere.
Is the Minister saying that I, as Minister for Finance, refused to give information to this House as to expenditure which I had sanctioned? Is that what he is saying?
I am saying that this practice of not giving details of variations during the year was observed by the Deputy and by his predecessors and I do not see any reason now to depart from that practice.
Is the Minister prepared to give the total figures as distinct from a breakdown?
We will make the figures available on the conclusion of the financial year, which is the practice, because what matters is the financial year and not details of the kind sought by the Deputy which invariably have been withheld.
May I take it that the sum total of the Minister's reply, having regard to the terms of the questions, and having regard to the queries put by me to the Minister on the Adjournment Debate and again in the recent economic debate, is that, as is indicated in what we extracted from him before, the public capital programme is just gone to hell and he is madly trying to cover up and will not tell the public how much he has to find to meet what he has sanctioned or where he will get it? Is that not what it amounts to?
I have given the Deputy a lot of latitude.
The public capital budget has not gone to hell.
The Minister has an opportunity of giving the facts and he is avoiding it. He has been asked three or four times.
I am adhering to the practice.
Question No. 24.
The Minister is covering up.
I am observing the practice.
Closed Government.
No information.
Maybe that was the objective Deputy Colley had in mind, but it is not mine.