Set out below are the gross voted current, capital and total expenditure ceilings for the period 2014 to 2018 published in the Expenditure Reports for Budgets 2014 to 2018. Also included in the Table is the actual outturn for each year. These ceilings are agreed by Government and set on a nominal gross expenditure basis and are restated to reflect any technical or policy adjustments.
Over the last number of years for example, adjustments have reflected current expenditure increases for the Health sector and other areas; technical changes to funding arrangements for Irish Water; additional capital investment; and new funds under the National Development Plan.
Following a period of significant expenditure consolidation, the overall fiscal context needs to be considered when reviewing the movements in the expenditure ceilings. While, for example, Budget 2014 set out an expenditure ceiling of €51.9 billion for 2016 and a General Government deficit of 2.4% of GDP, the actual expenditure of €56 billion could be accommodated while delivering a General Government deficit of c. 0.7% of GDP. Budgets 2017 and 2018 reflect adjustments including the allocation of additional funding for capital investment and budgetary decisions to prioritise additional spending supported by discretionary revenue measures.
Table 1: Multi-Annual Gross Voted Current Expenditure Ceilings Budget 2014 - 2018 (€m)
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
Budget 2014
|
49,606
|
48,250
|
48,600
|
-
|
-
|
Budget 2015
|
-
|
50,077
|
50,296
|
50,362
|
-
|
Budget 2016
|
-
|
-
|
51,477
|
52,197
|
52,813
|
Budget 2017
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
53,494
|
54,720
|
Budget 2018
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
55,593
|
Outturn
|
50,501
|
50,864
|
51,775
|
54,019
|
57,052
|
Table 2: Multi-Annual Gross Voted Capital Expenditure Ceilings Budget 2014 - 2018 (€m)
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
Budget 2014
|
3,335
|
3,252
|
3,255
|
-
|
-
|
Budget 2015
|
-
|
3,549
|
3,600
|
3,748
|
-
|
Budget 2016
|
-
|
-
|
3,781
|
3,970
|
4,230
|
Budget 2017
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4,535
|
5,292
|
Budget 2018
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
5,330
|
Outturn
|
3,597
|
3,730
|
4,212
|
4,601
|
5,928
|
Table 3: Multi-Annual Total Gross Voted Expenditure Ceilings Budget 2014 - 2018 (€m)
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
Budget 2014
|
52,941
|
51,502
|
51,855
|
-
|
-
|
Budget 2015
|
-
|
53,626
|
53,896
|
54,110
|
-
|
Budget 2016
|
-
|
-
|
55,258
|
56,167
|
57,043
|
Budget 2017
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
58,029
|
60,012
|
Budget 2018
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
0
|
60,923
|
Outturn
|
54,098
|
54,594
|
55,987
|
58,620
|
62,979
|