Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman and committee for the chance to present the Revised Estimate for 2016 for my Department. As the Chairman proposed, I will make some opening remarks to introduce each of the five programmes in the Department's Vote. I will also take the opportunity to make some general remarks which are relevant to all the programmes to avoid having to repeat myself throughout the presentation.

As we know, the budget allocation was agreed and published by the previous Administration as part of the budget last year. The Revised Estimate for all Departments was published after the Government agreed it in December.

As the general election was called, we are only now in a position to take the next step of seeking Dáil approval.

We are now six months into 2016 and, therefore, a significant portion of the Department's budget is already spent - I believe it is just over half. I have not yet effected any changes to this year's budget to take account of new commitments made in the programme for Government. At this point, I am not proposing to make any changes to the Revised Estimate as published for 2016.

Many of the commitments contained in the programme for Government for transport, tourism and sport are medium to long term. I will, therefore, come back to the committee later in the year to discuss how those can be addressed in the context of the 2017 Estimate and beyond.

As members will be well aware, the tourism and transport sectors have proven track records in creating employment and driving growth in the economy. Sport also has a vital economic role to play but its societal and health benefits are key. The 2016 budget allocation has been developed to support and underpin policies designed to maximise the economic, employment and societal benefits of these diverse sectors.

As regards the implications of last week's Brexit vote in the UK on the 2016 funding allocation, I do not foresee any immediate issues arising. However, there are clearly impacts further down the road which we will have to take into account, particularly with regard to the tourism sector where Britain remains our single most important market in terms of overseas visitor numbers to Ireland. My Department has been participating in the contingency planning led by the Taoiseach's Department and I am happy that we are in the good position to address the key challenges this decision presents to sectors under my remit.

With an overall budget allocation of €1.74 billion this year and a multi-annual capital commitment of €10 billion over seven years in the context of the capital plan, resources are being allocated to target investment in our transport network, support our tourism sector and promote sport to drive our country forward.

The 2016 allocation provides for an additional €125 million on last year, representing an 8% increase on the €1.6 billion available last year. This is the first year since 2011 that this Department's initial Estimate allocation for capital investment has exceeded the €1 billion mark. The Vote comprises five spending programmes - aviation, land transport, maritime, sport and tourism. The Department's administrative programme, its pay and operating costs, represents less than 2% of the overall Vote and these costs are distributed proportionally across all the programmes as members see them in the Revised Estimate.