Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Finance the extent to which his Department intends to fund, directly or indirectly, various projects in County Kildare in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2861/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is not responsible for spending by other Departments on a geographical or other basis. Plans for the funding of projects, including in Kildare, are a matter for each Department having regard to its particular area of responsibility and the allocation made to it by the Dáil.

The amount allocated to my Department's Vote, Vote 6, in the 2005 Abridged Estimates Volume is €102.544 million. This is made up of administration expenditure of €46.821 million, of which €35.055 million is pay; programme expenditure of €55.859 million, of which €44.751 million is current expenditure and €11.108 million is capital; and appropriations-in-aid of €0.136 million.

My Department's capital allocation of €11.108 million is divided as follows: amount of capital allocated: grants-in-aid, to the Economic and Social Research Institute and Ordnance Survey Ireland, €4.126 million; Information Society Fund, for distribution to other Departments, €3.5 million; child care initiative, provision of facilities across the Civil Service, €1.75 million; Northern Ireland peace programme and related items €1.517 million; procurement management reform €0.215 million.

Given the level of these capital allocations plus the fact that they are for the most part paid to other Departments and bodies, my Department will not have expenditure on capital projects in Kildare in 2005. Although the Office of Public Works is not funded directly or indirectly by my Department, my Department has asked that office to communicate to the Deputy any relevant information on planned funding by that office of capital projects in Kildare in 2005.