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Departmental Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 February 2018

Tuesday, 6 February 2018

Ceisteanna (159)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Ceist:

159. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the Departments that had an underspend for 2015, 2016 and 2017; the amount of the underspend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5381/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Managing the delivery of public services within budgetary allocations is a key responsibility of each Minister and their Departments, and there are important measures in place to ensure that budgetary targets are met. However, given the scale of gross voted Government expenditure c. €58.5 billion in aggregate in 2017 - and the cash basis of Government accounting, some variance from profiled expenditure is to be expected. The tables below set out the level of underspends, on a gross basis, across the relevant Ministerial Vote Groups for the years 2015, 2016 and 2017. Some totals are affected by rounding. These underspends are compared to allocations in the relevant Revised Estimates Volume (REV) and, therefore, do not reflect any Supplementary Estimates.  With regard to the treatment of capital carryover, the capital carryover into the following year is included in the expenditure outturns for each year.

In summary, 8 Ministerial Vote Groups reported underspends in 2015, 10 Vote Groups in 2016 and 11 Vote Groups in 2017.  Underspends can occur for a number of reasons. For example, this may include changes in policy decisions or lower than expected take-up of a particular programme or service.

Where spending in a number of Departments comes in under profile, these savings can be used to offset additional expenditure in Departments that require Supplementary Estimates and thereby assist with meeting overall budgetary targets. 

2015

REV   allocation (€m)

Outturn   (€m)

Variance   (€m)

Variance   (%)

Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

277

277

-1

-0.2%

Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

415

401

-14

-3.4%

Defence

898

898

0

0%

Environment, Community and Local Government

1,329

1,284

-45

-3.4%

Finance

451

443

-8

-1.9%

Foreign Affairs and Trade

687

684

-2

-0.3%

Public Expenditure and Reform

1,017

1,012

-5

-0.5%

Taoiseach

170

159

-11

-6.3%

2016

REV   allocation (€m)

Outturn   (€m)

Variance   (€m)

Variance   (%)

Agriculture, Food and the Marine

1,351

1,267

-84

-6.2%

Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

383

376

-7

-1.9%

Children and Youth Affairs

1,138

1,086

-52

-4.6%

Communications, Climate Action and Environment

466

437

-30

-6.4%

Defence

905

905

0

0%

Finance

455

443

-13

-2.8%

Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

 1,384

 1,370

 -14

-1.0% 

Health

14,109

14,107

-2

0%

Justice and Equality

2,458 

 2,449

 -10

 -0.4%

Public Expenditure and Reform

1,051

1,004

-46

-4.4%

Taoiseach

204

188

-17

-8.3%

2017

REV   allocation (€m)

Outturn   (€m)

Variance   (€m)

Variance   (%)

Agriculture, Food and the Marine

1,468

1,391

-78

-5.3%

Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

288

287

-1

-0.4%

Children and Youth Affairs

1,311

1,249

-62

-4.7%

Communications, Climate Action and Environment

528

498

-31

-5.8%

Finance

465

457

-7

-1.6%

Foreign Affairs and Trade

715

711

-4

-0.6%

Business, Enterprise and Innovation

857

852

-5

-0.5%

Public Expenditure and Reform

1,094

1,068

-26

-2.4%

Taoiseach

182

167

-15

-8.3%

Transport, Tourism and Sport

1,810

1,802

-8

-0.4%

Rural and Community Development

163

144

-19

-11.6%

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