Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I indicated my answer to this question in reply to an earlier question. To address some of the additional points raised, the expenditure figures for each Department are tracked constantly by my Department. We have now allocated how we expect the expenditure ceilings to be realised per quarter for 2017. We have laid out what the Revised Estimates Volume profile for each Department will be for the year. It is roughly equal for the first, second and third quarters, during which it is expected that there will be between €13 billion and €13.1 billion to be invested and spent. For the final three months of the year, the fourth quarter, we expect the figure to rise to €14.26 billion. It is expected that capital expenditure will increase towards the end of the year which is why the figure increases at that point. The figures are regularly checked and are assesed with all my ministerial and Cabinet colleagues. We have completed the work in laying out how we expect expenditure to materialise across 2017. As always, we are not expecting any Department to overspend in terms of that expenditure ceiling.

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