Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 May 2020
1048. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the budget allocated to his Department for 2020; the breakdown of this budget for the transport, tourism and sport sections; if this has been revised since its original allocation due to the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6738/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department's budget is published in the Revised Estimates for 2020, available at www.gov.ie. The Department's budget has not been revised in the light of the Covid 19 emergency. The impact of the pandemic will be managed in the standard manner for managing annual budgets, albeit with an expectation that the variances from planned expenditure in 2020 will be very significant in a number of areas.
Underspends and overspends will be balanced out where possible later in the year via the transfer of savings in some areas to overspends in other areas. It is too soon to give an accurate picture of what these figures will be.
Supplementary estimates may be required in areas of significant overspend, under circumstances where it is clear that savings within the budget are not sufficient to cover overspends due to the unusual impact of Covid 19. As I mentioned in my Statement to the Dáil last week, the public transport system is a critical part of the plan for the re-opening of the economy. My Department is working closely with the National Transport Authority, NTA, and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to assess and quantify the additional funding requirement in relation to public transport this year.
