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Budget Measures

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 May 2019

Thursday, 9 May 2019

Questions (54)

Barry Cowen

Question:

54. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the ministerial gross expenditure ceilings as originally budgeted for, that is, ceilings for 2018 according to the budget 2016 expenditure report for each year since expenditure ceilings were established by gross capital and gross current expenditure; the actual ministerial gross expenditure for each of these years including 2018 by gross capital and gross current expenditure in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20264/19]

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Written answers

Set out below are the gross voted current, capital and total expenditure ceilings for the period 2014 to 2018 published in the Expenditure Reports for Budgets 2014 to 2018. Also included in the Table is the actual outturn for each year. These ceilings are agreed by Government and set on a nominal gross expenditure basis and are restated to reflect any technical or policy adjustments.

Over the last number of years for example, adjustments have reflected current expenditure increases for the Health sector and other areas; technical changes to funding arrangements for Irish Water; additional capital investment; and new funds under the National Development Plan.

Following a period of significant expenditure consolidation, the overall fiscal context needs to be considered when reviewing the movements in the expenditure ceilings. While, for example, Budget 2014 set out an expenditure ceiling of €51.9 billion for 2016 and a General Government deficit of 2.4% of GDP, the actual expenditure of €56 billion could be accommodated while delivering a General Government deficit of c. 0.7% of GDP. Budgets 2017 and 2018 reflect adjustments including the allocation of additional funding for capital investment and budgetary decisions to prioritise additional spending supported by discretionary revenue measures.

Table 1: Multi-Annual Gross Voted Current Expenditure Ceilings Budget 2014 - 2018 (€m)

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Budget 2014

49,606

48,250

48,600

-

-

Budget 2015

-

50,077

50,296

50,362

-

Budget 2016

-

-

51,477

52,197

52,813

Budget 2017

-

-

-

53,494

54,720

Budget 2018

-

-

-

-

55,593

Outturn

50,501

50,864

51,775

54,019

57,052

Table 2: Multi-Annual Gross Voted Capital Expenditure Ceilings Budget 2014 - 2018 (€m)

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Budget 2014

3,335

3,252

3,255

-

-

Budget 2015

-

3,549

3,600

3,748

-

Budget 2016

-

-

3,781

3,970

4,230

Budget 2017

-

-

-

4,535

5,292

Budget 2018

-

-

-

-

5,330

Outturn

3,597

3,730

4,212

4,601

5,928

Table 3: Multi-Annual Total Gross Voted Expenditure Ceilings Budget 2014 - 2018 (€m)

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Budget 2014

52,941

51,502

51,855

-

-

Budget 2015

-

53,626

53,896

54,110

-

Budget 2016

-

-

55,258

56,167

57,043

Budget 2017

-

-

-

58,029

60,012

Budget 2018

-

-

-

0

60,923

Outturn

54,098

54,594

55,987

58,620

62,979

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