Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 October 2016
306. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of each of the expenditure savings that have been earmarked for his Department in 2017; the value of the saving in each case; the basis on which the value was estimated; and the way it differs from the 2016 mid-year expenditure report. [31542/16]
View answerMy Department's Budget Day Estimate for 2017 is €19.854 billion, compared to the 2016 Revised Estimates provision of €19.625 billion.
Most of my Department's schemes are demand-led in nature. This demand is driven by demographic trends and economic factors such as developments in the labour market. The estimates are constructed using data on trends in recipient numbers, average payment values and other relevant factors as are available for that portion of the year in which the estimate is constructed.
In this regard, there are decreases in 2017 in the allocations for Working Age Income and Employment Supports, reflecting the lower demand for many of the schemes arising from the improved labour market. Conversely, there are increases in the allocations for Pensions, Illness, Disability and Carers, and Children, reflecting demographic and other trends. This is in line with the 2016 Mid-Year Expenditure Report.
Full details of the allocations for each of my Department's schemes in 2017 compared to 2016 can be found in Vote 37 in Part III of the Expenditure Report 2017, which is available on the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform website, budget.gov.ie.
