Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 October 2013
171. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the expenditure adjustment that will be made within his Department in 2014; the full-year impact of expenditure measures that will be taken in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45582/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2014 Expenditure Report estimate for voted expenditure for my Department is €401 million, consisting of €321 million in current and €80 million in capital expenditure. The full year reduction over the 2013 estimate amounts to €14.5 million with €9.5 million current savings and €5 million capital savings identified. Current expenditure sees a reduction in the following areas: Payroll savings, Grant in Aid to RTE, The Broadcasting Fund and Communications, Energy and Inland Fisheries programme areas.
In relation to capital, there are reductions in Energy and Natural Resources allocations along with an increase of €12.5 million in the allocation for Communications programmes. In addition to the amounts shown in the estimates for my Department, under the Government's Stimulus Package, I secured an additional €30m in funding to increase investment in the Better Energy and Warmer Home energy efficiency schemes to a total of €57 million in 2014. These schemes fund energy efficiency improvements by householders as well as energy efficiency measures free of charge to low-income households. In 2014, over 30,000 homes are expected to benefit from energy efficiency upgrades under these schemes, bringing the total number of homes supported to more than 290,000. This detail will be shown in full in the Revised Estimates which will be published in the coming weeks.
