Vol. 430 No. 5
6 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Finance if he intends to introduce supplementary estimates for any spending Departments in 1993; if he expects that expenditure in all Departments will be within the parameters set out in the Book of Estimates for 1993; if there are any estimated over-expenditures; if so, where these over-expenditures are likely to occur; and the level at which they will be.
As the Deputy will be aware, the first quarter Exchequer returns indicated that 1993 expenditure was evolving in line with expectations at budget time. I have no reason to expect that this trend will not be maintained throughout the year. The improved economic outlook underpinned by the budget will clearly help the Government to meet its budgetary targets. However, I am aware of some instances where supplementaries involving relatively minor sums will be required for technical reasons. For example, in the Revised Estimates Volume, Vote 4 — Office of the Tánaiste — a token provision has been included in the grant-in-aid subhead for the National Economic and Social Forum and this will need to be increased later. Because it is a grant-in-aid subhead, it can only be increased by way of a Supplementary Estimate; savings arising elsewhere on the Vote cannot be vired into that subhead.
Decisions about Supplementary Estimates, other than technical ones, can only be taken when it is clear that additional expenditure is unavoidable and that no savings are available elsewhere in the relevant Vote. There will inevitably be savings elsewhere on some of these Votes or in other Votes which will help to offset any excesses.
A comprehensive schedule for dealing with Estimates has now been agreed by the new Dáil committees and details of any supplementary estimates required will be finalised as the Estimates come up for consideration in those committees.
Is the Minister aware that there is under provision in the Estimates of a number of Departments, for example, £1 million only has been provided in the Vote of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry; no money has been provided for Aer Lingus; no money has been provided for the Christmas bonus and no money has been provided for the Film Board, although in an announcement recently it was promised £10 million? The Labour Ministers, in particular, have a propensity to make commitments to spend more money, especially when they are on trips down the country. Will the Minister for Finance exert control on all the Ministers in the Government?
Yes.
I am glad to hear that. On the specific question of Aer Lingus, how does he envisage provision being made for it unless there is a Supplementary Estimate, or will it be provided through a capital account?
As the year progresses savings can be made under some headings but others will require Supplementary Estimates. Naturally it is the intention of the Department of Finance to keep Supplementary Estimates to an absolute minimum. To date we know of two or three areas that will require a Supplementary Estimate but none of the increases is too large. In relation to Aer Lingus or other State agency, any large equity injection will have to be viewed against the expenditure position at that time. This might require a tightening of the Estimates in other areas and this is something we have done for the past three or four years. It is not clear at this stage if any such injection of equity is needed during 1993, although it is clear that it will be required over the next 12 months or so. The matter will be reviewed again in every six-month period.
