Skip to main content
Normal View

Exchequer Savings

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 June 2014

Wednesday, 4 June 2014

Questions (74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 82)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

74. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which expenditure and savings targets are likely to be met throughout the current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23922/14]

View answer

Bernard Durkan

Question:

75. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if any particular areas, Departments or bodies under their aegis have been identified as having potential for over-expenditure in the current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23923/14]

View answer

Bernard Durkan

Question:

77. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he has had discussions with the various stakeholders in the context of any possible alleviation of the impact of savings or cutbacks in expenditure arising from the requirements of the troika; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23925/14]

View answer

Bernard Durkan

Question:

79. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which, based on previous years' performance, he expects to achieve savings required or identified by the troika; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23927/14]

View answer

Bernard Durkan

Question:

80. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which each Department or body continues to meet targets in respect of public expenditure and reform as identified in the course of discussions with the troika; if any specific areas indicate a lessening of pressure to achieve savings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23928/14]

View answer

Bernard Durkan

Question:

82. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which his Department makes comparisons with other jurisdictions in achieving savings or reforms; the extent to which this is reflected in improved competitiveness in this economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23930/14]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 74, 75, 77, 79, 80 and 82 together.

Managing the delivery of public services within the Departmental Budgetary allocation is a key responsibility of each Minister and Department, and several measures are in place to help ensure that these budgetary targets continue to be met.  My Department is in regular communication with all Departments and Offices to ensure that expenditure is being controlled and we monitor their drawdown of funds from the Exchequer against the published expenditure profiles.

In relation to the previous year's performance, the end-December Exchequer returns outlined that voted expenditure was well within budget for 2013. Overall net voted expenditure of €43.1 billion was €0.3 billion below the budget profile for 2013. Any overruns in individual Departments were more than offset by savings in other Departments.

The expenditure position up to the end of May this year is that total gross expenditure of just under €21.7 billion is 0.6% (€140 million) below profile. The Government is committed to ensuring that our fiscal targets for 2014 are achieved, and in this regard my Department meets regularly with line Departments to review financial management with regular reporting to Government on these matters.

Following on from Ireland's successful exit from the Troika programme in December last year, the Government's fiscal target for 2015 is to bring the General Government Deficit below 3% of GDP, in line with our commitments under the Excessive Deficit Procedure. 

The Comprehensive Review of Expenditure and the Review of Capital Expenditure that are currently in progress will inform discussions in relation to Budget 2015, including Government decisions on the expenditure ceilings for the years ahead, and will underpin decisions on the specific expenditure measures required to meet our fiscal targets for 2015.  Decisions on the Budget will be informed by the up-to-date economic and fiscal outlook at that time. 

The ongoing delivery of expenditure savings requires a robust public expenditure framework.  The new Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) was first introduced in 2011 and provides for a more effective examination of public expenditure.  The new framework takes account of the experience of a number of other OECD countries who also implemented a MTEF in recent years.  Part III of the Expenditure Report 2014 sets Ireland's public expenditure framework in the context of the international experience, drawing on a number of OECD research papers.  On the reform front, the Public Service Reform Plan (PSRP) 2014-2016 was published in January this year. The development of the plan was led and coordinated by the Reform and Delivery Office in my Department, in collaboration and consultation with key stakeholders across the Public Service. The plan is also informed by best practice in the Public Service in other jurisdictions and in the private sector, where appropriate.

Top
Share