John Bruton
Question:3 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the reasons for the decrease in the principal subheads in his Department's Estimate of expenditure for 2001 published recently. [27184/00]
Ceisteanna–Questions. - Departmental Expenditure.
John Bruton
Question:4 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the forecast outturn for his Department's expenditure in the year 2000 as published in the Book of Estimates for 2001. [27375/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 4 together.
The Abridged Estimates for Public Services, which were published on 16 November, include an Estimate of £44.11 million for my Department in 2001 and indicate a forecast outturn at £73.9 million for the year 2000. The Estimate will be submitted to the House early next year in the usual way and considered by the Select Committee on Finance and the Public Service in accordance with the procedures set out in Standing Orders. It is only in the context of that process that the matter of a general statement arises.
The final outturn for my Department for the year 2000 will be incorporated in the Appropriation Accounts for that year when published. The Appropriation Accounts will then be dealt with under Standing Order 46 by the Committee of Public Accounts.
By how much will the salaries subhead of the Department's Vote have to be increased to take account of the agreement which the Department recently negotiated with the social partners? What are the reasons for the fall in the provision for the multimedia developments subhead and the reduction in the provision for grants under the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust Fund?
The Estimate for my Department does not take account of the agreement concluded the other night. While I do not yet have a breakdown for my Department, the figures will be included in today's budgetary figures.
On the multimedia village, the 2001 allocation includes payments due to Media Lab Europe under the agreement between that body, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the State and the costs of Digital Media Development Limited, the company established by the Government in advance of the proposed digital media district. I expect to receive a report from the board of the development company in the very near future covering the arrangements for the establishment of the media village, including its location and the provision of a permanent home for Media Lab Europe. I anticipate that decisions and an announcement will then be made. The provisions for much of the work will be the responsibility of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the IDA and, in particular, Enterprise Ireland which, probably, will be the main driving force behind the project.
On the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust Fund, the allocation of £100,000 represents the balance remaining in the Estimates. In all, a total of £1.2 million has been disbursed to 59 projects. There are a few outstanding payments which remain to be made.
When is it expected that the fund in question will be empty and wound up? What is the reason for the provision of £8 million in the Estimate for his Department for millennium celebrations? Is it the case that the Department of the Taoiseach has taken an each way bet on whether the millennium began on 1 January 2000 or will begin on 1 January next and it wants to spend money on both, or is it the case that all the bills have not yet been paid and it wants to make provision for paying some of them next year, or is the case that there will be a millennium celebration every year for the next 1,000 years?
That might be a good idea, we had such fun last year. The Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust Fund has effectively been wound up. There are a number of outstanding payments in respect of some of the 59 projects in question which remain to be made. I am not certain that a sum of £100,000 remains outstanding.
On the millennium celebrations, expenditure both last year and this year was lower than originally anticipated, mainly because there is a significant capital element involved and projects must be completed or near to completion. There is a longer lead-in time on such projects. The millennium office assures me that the grants will be paid. The allocation of £8 million for next year represents the unspent balance of the overall allocation of £33 million for the programme. For planning reasons and because of delays and difficulties encountered in local fundraising, some of the projects in question did not commence as planned. In others, final accounts have not been produced. Unfortunately, there are no new projects.
Would it be very unfair to the Taoiseach to say that, like other things the Government attempts to construct, these projects are proceeding at a snail's pace?
The Deputy is probably correct as we are only one year into the millennium.