Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 December 2013
337. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason his Department has spent €172 million less on the capital side than was profiled in the November Exchequer figures. [52832/13]
View answer340. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government of the €172 million in capital funding recorded as not spent under the expenditure profile at end November in the most recent analysis of gross Voted expenditure Exchequer figures, the reason for the underspend; if he will provide a breakdown of the capital projects or outlays that have not commenced as yet, as per the profile; if any of the €107.2 million in total capital carryover in Government moneys for 2012 relates to his Department; the amount of same; if it has been spent; on what it has been spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52947/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 337 and 340 together.
My Department is responsible for a wide range of capital programmes, including in the areas of housing, water services, environmental protection, local government services, and community and rural development. The Revised Estimates for Public Services 2013, published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform earlier this year, provide for gross capital expenditure of €726 million in respect of my Department in 2013. At the end of November, capital spending by my Department was behind the profile established earlier in the year. Expenditure under the Water Services Investment Programme in 2013 has been less than anticipated due to slower than expected progress on water services capital projects during the year; work on the implementation of the Water Sector Reform Programme, in particular on the establishment of Irish Water, has required considerable input from the local authorities and this has impacted on the progress of the Programme. In addition, drawdown by local authorities of housing funding has been slower than expected.
I expect that there will be some further expenditure under the water, housing and other capital programmes before year end. Consideration is being given, in consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, to the appropriate use of potential savings arising on the Vote. Finally, of the total of €107.2 million in capital carryover funding from 2012 across Government Departments, €43 million in additional funding has been made available to my Department for investment in the Housing (€22m), Environment and Waste Management (€10m), Local Government (€2m) and Community and Rural Development (€9m) programmes. To end November, €35.5m of the allocated €43m has been invested in these programmes.
