Capital Programme Expenditure

Tuesday, 10 December 2013

Questions (573)

Kevin Humphreys

Question:

573. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport of the €14 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. [52956/13]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

In the Department's last expenditure report to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, a €14 million underspend was identified against the overall projected capital expenditure for end November. Projecting capital expenditure across a variety of different capital projects and programmes over the course of a year is not an exact science and is prone to variation particularly for demand-led programmes such as the Sports Capital Programme (e.g. in short, we do not know for sure when exactly clubs or sporting bodies will draw down their grant). In addition,planning, weather and other issues can delay construction.

The most significant underspend against profile to November was within the Public Transport Investment Programme which includes a large number of projects of varying sizes including Luas Cross City, railway safety projects, and small traffic management projects in the cities. However I expect this situation to be rectified in December and I am confident that, by year end, up to 99% of the Department's capital envelope of €945m for 2013 will be spent and any residual amount carried forward to next year to meet requirements for projects where delays have occurred.

My Department did not have any capital carryover from 2012 to 2013.