Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 July 2015
759. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the current and capital funding allocated to his Department; the underspend or overspend in 2015 to date under each category based on his Department's spending profile; the funding made available within and external to his Department's functions to support innovation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30124/15]
View answerMy Department is responsible for a wide range of programmes, including in the areas of housing, environmental protection, local government services, and community and rural development. The Revised Estimates for Public Services 2015, published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, provide for €1.328 billion gross funding (comprising €494.1m capital and €834.8m current) this year to be expended in support of the range of programmes for which my Department is responsible.
Current expenditure to the end June 2015 is €176 m and capital expenditure over the same period is €51.869m. While, at this mid-year stage, both of these categories of expenditure are behind profiled expenditure envisaged at the beginning of the year (current 50.7% behind, capital 41.9% behind), there are a number of timing issues contributing to this. It is usual that there is significant expenditure from the Vote towards the end of the year and I expect that this will also be the case this year.
While there is no specific subhead in the Department’s vote which is identified as supporting general innovation per se, the LEADER Programme (provision €45m in 2015) fosters innovation in rural communities in order to improve the quality of life in rural areas as well as promoting the diversification of the rural economy. The programme addresses directly many of the challenges facing rural communities including the need to increase economic activity and stimulate job creation by supporting innovative projects; improve access to basic services for rural dwellers and encourage rural tourism based on sustainable development of natural resources.
