Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Finance the net voted expenditure for each Department in the first ten months of 2004, with a breakdown of current and capital spending; his latest forecast for final expenditure outcomes at year end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30177/04]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Finance if he has examined the circumstances whereby a number of Government Departments have underspent in terms of their budgets in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30280/04]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 and 241 together.

Net voted expenditure for each ministerial Vote group to end-October 2004, with a breakdown of current and capital spending, is set out below. The forecast outturn information is based on the latest estimates received from Departments and offices in connection with the recently published 2005 Abridged Estimates Volume.

The end-October Exchequer returns showed that net voted spending by Departments and offices is some €1.35 billion below profile, of which €466 million is in respect of current spending and €885 million is for capital spending. The 2005 Abridged Estimates Volume included forecast outturn information as summarised above. Overall, there is a forecast saving of €150 million on gross spending of which €70 million is a saving on day-to-day spending. There is an €80 million saving on capital net of €248 million capital carryover from 2004 to 2005 under the multi-annual capital envelopes announced in the 2004 budget. There are higher receipts of €100 million across some Departments which will result in a net total forecast saving of €250 million between current and capital, net of the capital carryover. Notwithstanding the significant underspend to date, overall savings, net of capital carryover, are forecast at 0.75% of the 2004 Revised Estimates Volume provision.