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Public Expenditure Policy

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 June 2022

Thursday, 16 June 2022

Questions (117, 134, 141)

Seán Haughey

Question:

117. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will report on the level of public expenditure in the first five months of 2022; the comparison to the same period in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29644/22]

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Paul McAuliffe

Question:

134. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if public expenditure was within profile during the first five months of 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29747/22]

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Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

141. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the underspend against profile of gross voted expenditure at the end of May 2022; the percentage involved; the steps he intends taking to rectify this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30332/22]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 117, 134 and 141 together.

For the first five months of 2022, total gross voted expenditure was €31.8 billion. This was just slightly over the profiled spend with a variance of €114 million or 0.4%. This compares with just under €33 billion in overall gross voted expenditure at the end of May 2021, a reduction of €1.2 billion or 3.5% year on year. In net terms, total net voted expenditure to end-May 2022 amounted to €25.8 billion, which was €313 million or 1.2% below the amount profiled to be spent and €0.8 billion or 3.1% below the same period in 2021.

For current expenditure, gross voted spending was €29.6 billion at end May 2022 against €31.1 billion for the same period in 2021 – a reduction of €1.5 billion or 4.8%. Among the main changes was spending in Social Protection being €3.4 billion lower than in 2021, reflecting lower Covid-19 related spend than in 2021, while there was higher year on year current spending of just over €1 billion in the Department of Health.

Current spending was €571 million or 2.0% ahead of profile. Vote Groups with higher than profiled spend included Social Protection which was €315m or 3.3% ahead or profile, and Health which was €291 million or 3.4% above profile. Higher than expected spending in both Vote Groups was largely due to increased Covid-19 spending as a result of the Omicron wave against the amount allocated for Covid-19 schemes in their Estimates.

In relation to gross capital expenditure, end May spend of €2.2 billion was €316 million or 16.6% ahead on the same period in 2021. Capital spending in the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications was €0.4 billion or over six times higher than the same period in 2021, reflecting payment of the Electricity Credit to domestic account holders, with other year on year increases in Agriculture (€35m or 40%), Education (€44m or almost 18%) and eleven other Vote Groups.

Capital expenditure at end May was €457 million or 17.1% below profile. Capital spending was higher than profile in Agriculture and Education. However in the majority of Departments capital spending to end May was less than had been expected when profiles were prepared. Capital spending tends to be weighted toward the end of the year, and my Department will continue to closely monitor spend against profile.

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