Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 April 2019
35. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the spending profile of Departments during the first quarter of 2019; if key spending areas are running behind or ahead of profile; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17778/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraManaging the delivery of public services within allocations and meeting our budgetary targets forms a key part of the responsibilities of every Minister and Department. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is in regular contact with all other Departments and Offices to ensure that expenditure is being managed within the overall fiscal parameters. The drawdown of funds from the Exchequer is reported on each month against expenditure profiles, in the Fiscal Monitor published by the Department of Finance.
As set out in the most recent Fiscal Monitor, total gross voted expenditure at end-March 2019 was €15,039 million. This is €343 million, or 2.2% below profile. Gross voted current expenditure of €14,167 million, is €245 million, or 1.7% below profile. Of the 17 Ministerial Vote groups, 14 are below profile on current expenditure for end-March. Gross voted capital expenditure of €872 million, is €98 million, or 10.1% below profile and up €105 million, or 13.7% on the same period in 2018.
Looking at some key spending areas in particular, gross voted expenditure on Employment Affairs and Social Protection at end-March is €4,997 million, which is €8 million, or 0.2% below profile. Gross voted Health expenditure of €4,219 million is €4 million, or 0.1% below profile for end-Q1. Of this, current expenditure of €4,102 million is €18 million below profile, while capital expenditure of €117 million is €14 million above profile. In relation to Education and Skills, gross voted expenditure of €2,492 million is €71 million, or 2.8% below profile. This is made up of €2,331 million in current expenditure, which is €68 million, or 2.8%, below profile and €161 million in capital expenditure, which is €3 million, or 1.7%, below profile. Finally, expenditure by the Housing, Planning and Local Government group for end-March 2019 is €410 million. This is €161 million, or 28.2%, below profile. Of this, gross voted current expenditure of €260 million is €112 million, or 30.2% below profile. Gross voted capital expenditure of €150 million is €49 million, or 24.5% below profile. This variance from profile is due primarily to the finalisation of the Irish Water Memorandum of Funding Agreement 2019. Once this agreement is finalised it is expected that expenditure will revert to profile for the remainder of the year.
