The amount of €178,171,768 is set out in the Appropriation Account as published in the Comptroller and Auditor General report is "the surplus to be surrendered" by my Department in respect of 2018.
This is not an underspend.
It is the net vote position taking account of the funds available less the expenditure incurred and the appropriations in aid received less the budgeted amount of such appropriations in aid.
The appropriations in aid (i.e."receipts") were €159,714,000 greater than the anticipated amount. Surplus appropriations-in-aid are not available to my Department for expenditure and are surrendered to the exchequer.
When account is taken of the €22 million capital funds which were carried over from 2018 to 2019, the unspent part of the funds available for expenditure by my Department in 2018 amounted to €18,457,768, or 1.2% of the €1,586,711,000 available.