Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 9 Oct 2002

Vol. 554 No. 5

Written Answers. - Departmental Expenditure.

Kathleen Lynch

Ceist:

130 Ms Lynch asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the way in which the spending incurred by his Department to date in 2002 compares with the amounts allocated in the Book of Estimates; if his Department will come in on target in regard to expenditure; if he anticipates cutbacks or adjustments in his Department; if so, the areas in which these will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17049/02]

Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. D. Ahern):

The following table sets out the 2002 estimates and the indicative outturns to the end of September in relation to my Department's expenditure programmes.

The total 2002 Estimate for the Department, excluding the pending transfer of administration costs for energy, communications and broadcasting, is €452.44 million, less adjustments of €21.2 million previously agreed by Government, including €20 million in respect of regional broadband development under the communications programme. The indicative outturn to end September is €231,841 million. Expenditure to end year is projected to be on target with the overall amended Estimate.

Programme	2002 Estimate¹	Outturn to endSeptember 2002
	€000s	€000s
Administration²	34,677	24,949
Irish Coast Guard	25,117	12,909
Safety	3,835	2,322
Ports	4,931	324
Marine Tourism	5,691	1,366
Coast Protection	4,001	745
Marine Research	32,361	14,613
Fishery Harbours	31,176	9,558
Sea Fisheries	30,214	16,814
Fish Processing	2,183	17
Aquaculture	5,173	3,020
Inland Fisheries	20,785	15,361
Afforestation	89,131	74,329
Forestry Structural	17,345	4,632

Programme	2002 Estimate¹	Outturn to endSeptember 2002
	€000s	€000s
Energy	6,784	2,860
Communications	46,403	5,868
Broadcasting	88,353	39,879
Other Services	4,278	2,274
Total	452,438	231,841

¹ This column represents the gross estimates for 2002 for Vote 30, Marine and Natural Resources, and, in so far as the energy and communications programmes of Vote 32, Public Enterprise, and the broadcasting programme of Vote 42, Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, are concerned, the unexpended portion, at 18 June 2002, of the 2002 Estimate provision.

² The Administration figures provided relate to the former Department of the Marine and Natural Resources. The associated administrative figures for the transferred functions of communications, energy and broadcasting are currently under negotiation.