Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We have had a very detailed debate on the budget. The additional funding which, as the Deputy correctly said, amounts to over €1.6 billion in gross voted expenditure in 2015 has allowed the Government to target additional expenditure at areas experiencing increased demand and demographic pressures, particularly the education system, An Garda Síochána and a number of other important sectors. The Supplementary Estimates do not include the proposed health or social protection spend because at this stage we do not know what the final PRSI receipts for the year will be. In the case of my own Department, we are not a position to accurately predict what the Supplementary Estimate will be, but we do know, for instance, that, as has always been the case, the Christmas bonus will be paid from it. There is also a timing issue in the making of pension payments on New Year's Eve rather than the following day. I can tell the Deputy what the likely spend will be, but until such time as the PRSI receipts and more information on the November returns have been received, we will not know what the definitive outturn will be. Approval is being sought today for 13 Votes, with an aggregate value of €472 million, €175 million of which is being allocated to the Department of Education and Skills, from which €50 million will be provided for the summer works programme for schools. An Garda Síochána is being allocated an additional €35 million, which I am sure will be welcomed on all sides of the House. An additional €100 million is being provided for public transport, which I would have thought would be welcomed by Sinn Féin. The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is receiving an additional €50 million to provide for further expenditure on regional job creation measures, which, again, I am sure will be welcomed on all sides of the House. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is receiving an additional allocation of €65 million.

The Supplementary Estimates were announced in the context of the 2016 budget. If Sinn Féin wants to have a debate on the matter, I do not have any problem with it, but I suggest the Deputy take up the matter of the arrangement of that debate with the Whips of all parties. We should proceed with thee Supplementary Estimates because they provide for the allocation of additional resources for gardaí, schools and the public transport system.

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