Dan Boyle
Ceist:163 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Finance the reasons for the 33% annual increase in Government spending for January 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5391/03]
Written Answers - Government Expenditure.
Net voted spending in January 2003 was 32.8% up on spending in the comparable period last year and this is broadly in line with the profiled spending patterns for the month which I published on 31 January last.
While some timing factors have impacted on the year-on-year increase, the Deputy will be aware that January is not a good indicator of the trend in spending for the year as a whole. Small swings are magnified by the shortness of the period under comparison.
The pattern of payments to the local government fund is an example of the timing factors impacting on the January figures. A payment of the order of €130 million was made to the fund in January 2003 while similar payments did not begin until April last year. A timing issue which reduced the January 2002 base by €115 million also arose in relation to the Department of Social and Family Affairs.