Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My Department has a very broad agenda which includes responsibility for the conservation, preservation, protection, development and presentation of Ireland’s heritage and culture; responsibility for promoting the Irish language; supporting the Gaeltacht and island communities; and facilitating the economic and sustainable development of Ireland's regions and rural communities.

A gross provision of €368.422 million is available to my Department across five programme areas in 2017, comprising current funding of €249.637 million and capital funding of €118.785 million. In addition, a further €13.548 million in capital funding was carried over from the 2016 provision.

Details of provisional expenditure in respect of my Department and all Departments are published at Vote level by the Department of Finance on a monthly basis. Provisional current and capital expenditure figures in respect of my Department at Vote level as of 31 January 2017 are due to be published shortly and these figures indicate that expenditure for January 2017 is on profile.

Preliminary figures for the period to the end of February 2017 indicate that gross total expenditure incurred by my Department amounted to €46.9 million - this expenditure represents 95% of profile. However, these figures are merely preliminary and are subject to an internal verification and monitoring process within my Department, as is usual, prior to their return to the Department of Public and Expenditure and Reform. Adjustments may fall to be made as part of this process and all figures are also subject to audit by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General in due course.

All expenditure within my Department's Vote is and will continue to be carefully monitored to ensure the best and most efficient use of available financial resources.

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