Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 56: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the amount of unspent money returned by her Department to the Department of Finance each year since 1997; the total departmental budget for each year since 1997; the projects for which this money was originally earmarked; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20432/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The net total amounts voted for my Department for each year from 1997 to 2004 and the surplus amount surrendered in each of those years are set out in the table below.

The total surplus surrendered may be analysed as follows: excess appropriations in aid; administrative budget savings which may be carried forward into the following year under the terms of the administrative budget agreement; and residual savings.

An analysis of the amount surrendered each year from 1997 to 2004 is set out in the following table.

It should be noted that appropriations in aid received in excess of the voted sum must be surrendered to the Exchequer under public financial procedures. Appropriations in aid in respect of health contributions are calculated based on an estimate and the actual receipts can fluctuate due to the trends in pay and taxation returns. Under the terms of the administrative budget agreement savings in one year are carried forward to the following year. The remaining surplus is a combination of a number of items covering minor headings and is due to timing issues in respect of items such as legal costs, the cost of the Hepatitis C and HIV compensation tribunal and payments to the State claims agency for the clinical indemnity scheme.