Vol. 554 No. 5
1727 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the way in which spending in the first nine months of 2002 compares to the budgeted profile for spending for each major programme of her Department's spending; and her forecast for year end overruns. [17173/02]
Full expenditure returns up to the end of September are not yet available. I can only provide a full comparison of spending against budgeted profile up to the end of July.
At the end of July overall Voted expenditure was €46.3 million below profile. The most significant elements of this underspend were on unemployment and related service at €31 million, carer's allowance €9 million, free schemes €6 million, family income supplement €5 million and old age non-contributory pensions €4 million. These underspends arose because demand under these schemes were less than anticipated and partially offset by overspends on other subheads, the most significant of which was supplementary welfare allowances which cost €13 million.
At the end of July the Social Insurance Fund expenditure was €33 million above profile. At this stage my Department is not forecasting an end of year overspend on Voted expenditure overall. As I announced earlier this week, the Government approved the payment of a 100% Christmas bonus. This year my Department will again make provision for it from its allocation.
