Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

I am pleased to have the opportunity to appear before the committee to discuss the 2025 Supplementary Estimates. I will discuss two of the four Votes within the finance group of Votes: Vote 7 - the Department of Finance and Vote 9 - the Office of the Revenue Commissioners. With regard to Vote 7, the Department requires a technical Supplementary Estimate to increase the 2025 allocation towards the fuel grant, the funding provided towards the operational cost and pension liabilities of the Office of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman, FSPO, and to cover the cost of software licences and IT peripherals for my Department. The total increase required is €1.4 million.

This excess will be substantially funded through savings on the administration non-pay subhead, while some moderate savings are also available from pay, as well as the committees and commissions subhead. The fuel grant provided under the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme is demand-led and as such, amounts claimed vary year on year. The 2025 Estimate allocation for the fuel grant is €11 million. Costs incurred in the year to date indicate that the fuel grant budget will be breached. My Department estimates that a further €919,000 is required to meet the demand for the fuel grant in 2025.

The operation of the FSPO is funded by an industry levy for financial services-related complaints and the Exchequer for pensions-related complaints. The amount to be paid by my Department to the FSPO for 2025 was initially estimated at €525,000. A further €303,000 is necessary due to the increased volume of complaints attributable to pensions. My Department is responsible for the FSPO pension liabilities in respect of benefits payable to members of the relevant pension schemes on a pay-as-you-go basis. In 2025, there were a number of large retirement payments that could not have been foreseen at the time of the budget. The additional pension cost for 2025 is €100,000, increasing the amount paid in 2025 towards the FSPO pensions to €350,000. My Department has already provided the additional funding required by the FSPO based on the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation’s approval in principle of a virement transfer from the administration non-pay subhead.

In addition, an increase of €82,000 is also required to facilitate the increased costs of software licences and IT for my Department.

Turning to the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, Vote 9, the technical Supplementary Estimate is for a net amount of €1,000 and will allow the Vote to utilise appropriations-in-aid in addition to savings and salaries, non-pay and capital, to fund projected expenditure. Additional funding is required for vehicles and frontier management expenses that relate to the continued detainment of the MV Matthewand the disposal of large quantities of nitrous oxide gas canisters. Funding is also required for infrastructure costs at Rosslare Europort and increased operational costs, including postage, external service provision, IT expenses and travel and subsistence. This will result in an increase in the gross ceiling of Vote 9 by approximately €3.92 million.

I thank members for their time here today and commend the 2025 Supplementary Estimates and technical Supplementary Estimates for the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners to the committee. I am happy to address any questions that members may have.