asked the Minister for the Public Service the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary supplementary estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
Written Answers. - Excess Departmental Expenditure.
285.
There was no case in 1977 or so far in 1978 among the group of Votes for which the Minister for the Public Service is directly responsible, of expenditure, in excess of the amount voted, prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by Dáil Éireann.
286.
asked the Minister for Health the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary supplementary estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
The amount available on the basis of the original Vote for the Department of Health for 1977 was not exceeded prior to the passing of a supplementary estimate on 8 December, 1977. Issues to date from the Health Vote for 1978 do not exceed the original amount voted.
287.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
No amount has been spent by my Department prior to the passing of a Supplementary Estimate in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose in (a) 1977 or (b) so far in 1978.
288.
asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary supplementary estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
A payment issued in September 1977 from subhead D 1 of the Fisheries Vote—An Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Administration and Current Development (Grant-in-Aid)—brought the total amount expended at that stage to a figure £70,000 in excess of the amount voted for the subhead. A supplementary estimate for a net £10 subsequently voted made provision for an additional sum of £785,000 for this subhead.
During 1977, arising out of the setting up of the new Department of Fisheries, the accounting arrangements for the Fisheries Vote were transferred to staff who had not previously dealt with that Vote. The overissue in question, which was entirely inadvertent, arose primarily because of the unfamiliarity of the staff concerned with the various provisions of that Vote.
289.
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
There was no case in 1977, and there is no case so far in 1978, in the Vote for Tourism and Transport, of expenditure, in excess of the amount voted, prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by Dáil Éireann.
290.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
So far as the Vote for my Department is concerned there was no case of expenditure in excess of the amount voted either prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by Dáil Éireann in 1977 or to date in 1978.
291.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
The Minister for Agriculture is responsible for the following Votes: (i) the Vote for Agriculture and (ii) the Vote for lands.
As far as (i) is concerned there was no expenditure in excess of the amount voted in 1977 prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate. So far, in 1978 expenditure has not exceeded the amount voted.
As regards (ii), the amount voted has not been exceeded in either 1977 or 1978 to date.
292.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
There was no such expenditure by my Department in the periods referred to.
293.
asked the Minister for Defence the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
Supplementary Estimates were not required in respect of the Defence Votes 1977 and 1978. The question of expenditure in excess of the amount voted does not therefore arise.
As regards the Army Pensions Vote, for which I am also responsible, there was no case of expenditure in excess of the amount voted prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by Dáil Éireann.
294.
asked the Minister for Justice the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
There were no Supplementary Estimates in 1977 or 1978 for any of the Votes for which I am responsible.
295.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
With regard to the Votes for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation for which I am responsible, there was no instance of expenditure, in excess of the amount voted, prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by Dáil Éireann in 1977. There has been no Supplementary Estimate in 1978 to date in respect of either of these Votes although, as in 1977, a token estimate in the Vote for International Co-operation is being sought.
296.
asked the Minister for the Environment the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
During the periods mentioned by the Deputy, in all instances where a Supplementary Estimate was necessary to authorise my Department to make payments for any purpose, the Supplementary Estimate was passed by the Dáil before the payments in question were made.
297.
asked the Minister for Labour the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
The Office of the Minister for Labour was granted amounts of £14,529,000 (Original Estimate), £3,780,000 (Supplementary) and £10 (Token Supplementary), totalling £18,309,010 for 1977, amounts of £27,355,000 (Original Estimate) and £5,800,000 (Supplementary) totalling £33,155,000, for 1978, for the salaries and expenses of that Office, including certain services administered by that Office, and for payment of certain grants-in-aid.
The token Supplementary Estimate of £10, which was granted on 13th December 1977, included a supplementary provision of £1 million for Subhead J.1.—An Chomhairle Oiliúna—Administration and General Expenses (Grant-in-Aid). This supplementary provision was to cover expenses incurred by AnCO in excess of their original grant-in-aid of £8.5 million. The token Supplementary Estimate also included a provision of £21,000 to cover the expenses of the Employment Equality Agency, which commenced operation on 1 October 1977.
The agreement of the Minister for Finance was obtained to cover the above expenses in the token Supplementary Estimate. The additional expenses were met from savings under the Vote for Labour generally.
No expenditure in excess of the total grants quoted was incurred under the Vote for Labour for either year.
298.
asked the Minister for the Gaeltacht the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
Níor tharla a leithéid.
299.
asked the Minister for Education the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom was it approved.
There was no case, among the group of Votes for which the Minister for Education is directly responsible of expenditure, in excess of the amount of the Vote prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 or (b) so far in 1978.
300.
asked the Minister for Economic Planning and Development the purpose of each amount spent by his Department in excess of the amount voted to it for a particular purpose prior to the passing of the necessary Supplementary Estimate by the Dáil (a) in 1977 and (b) so far in 1978; why this happened; and by whom it was approved.
There was no expenditure incurred by my Department in excess of the amount voted to it for any particular purpose (a) in 1977 or (b) so far in 1978.