asked the Minister for Justice if he will state in respect of Garda pay and overtime, where the cutback of £8 million was made as shown in the out-turn figures for 1983.
Written Answers. - Garda Pay.
401.
, Limerick East): The difference between estimate and expenditure was £7.08 million, not £8 million.
It is not normal in Government accounting to describe such a difference as a "cutback" nor would there be any justification for such a description. In fact the difference for salary and allowances (£3.4 million) is so small as a percentage of the total that it does not reach even half the level that would call for an explanation in the annual Appropriation Accounts. The difference does not reflect any decision about expenditure but only that the Estimate turned out to be very marginally too high.
Expenditure on overtime was less than had been provided for because of a number of factors including a more careful monitoring of expenditure undertaken with a view to improving efficiency. The high incidence of overtime which occurred in the last weeks of 1983 was not reflected in the 1983 outturn as there is necessarily a time-lag between the earning of overtime and the submission and payment of the relevant claims.