Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I return to the issue of health to ensure we have absolute certainty on the matter. The Minister indicated it will be a week before he can make a final decision on the implications of an overrun based on the information that will emanate at that time. He stated that, based on previous years, the overrun in health spending could be between €500 million and €600 million and supplementary budgets of that order had been introduced in the past. He also said this would not have implications for the €800 million available in the overall budgetary package because excess tax revenue is expected and other Departments will underspend their budgets. Without knowing the figure for health spending, does the Minister have an estimate at this juncture for excess tax income and does he have figures on underspends in other Departments? More important, can he inform us what Departments are underspending? Which Departments failed to live up to their commitments to the taxpayer? Members of the public would be interested to find out where and why these underspends occurred, especially when one considers the demands that are placed on us, as public representatives, in respect of critical infrastructure such as rural and county roads. Deputies have received representations from different sectors and those advocating on their behalf in recent weeks and such meetings will continue for the next number of weeks.

The ESRI and others are evaluating a mechanism by which a cohesive approach can be taken to the carbon tax for a period of years. Is it the Minister's belief that he should commit to ring-fencing some of the revenue from the carbon tax to soften the blow to sectors that will bear the brunt of its impact, namely, the agriculture, haulage and peat excavation sectors? The latter was a driver of the economy and job creation in my region in times past. Would it not be fair and appropriate that these sectors would have revenue from carbon taxes at their disposal to be used for innovation enterprises to replace these industries and jobs? This would allow them to lead in the advancement of alternative forms of energy provision that would have a manufacturing benefit in future?

The sale of Bord Gáis in 2014 generated income to the State of approximately €950 million. A commitment was give at the time to make €500 million available for an off-balance sheet model to provide social housing. This never materialised and under budget 2015, €10 million per annum was to be provided for social housing pilot projects for 20 years. That still left a shortfall of €200 million. I have asked about this issue previously. Where did the money provided for in the commitment given in 2014 go, especially considering the expectations that we would have a meaningful impact on implementing the provisions of the agreement between my party and the Government, notably in regard to affordable housing?