Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 July 2017
1580. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the latest profiles in value and outruns forecasted in her Department for the end of December 2017 and any variances that may arise based on her Department’s performance against profile in gross voted expenditure at the end of June 2017. [36573/17]
View answer1602. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if there will be an underspend in her Department's current or capital budget for 2017; if so, the subheads that are now below profile and those that may come in below profile at the end of the calendar year; if underspends in her Department will be available to the central Exchequer at year end; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36752/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1580 and 1602 together.
Overall expenditure by my Department was €9,873 million at end of June 2017. This was €66.9 million or 0.7% below profile. Most of the underspend relates to jobseeker’s payments (€27.2m) due to better than expected labour market performance, Administration (18.2 m.) and €7.9m due to a delayed payment to a utility. The remainder of schemes, when taken together, have a small underspend which is marginal given the scale of overall expenditure on these schemes.
Looking at the projected outturn for the year, it is difficult to assess the full-year expenditure for the Department at this stage given that we are just half way through the year and, in particular, the demand led nature of most DSP schemes.
