Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 23: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount of the budgetary allocation granted to his Department in 2004 which was returned by his Department to the central Exchequer; the reason for this underspend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22749/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The amount of the budgetary allocation of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs that was returned to the Exchequer at the end of 2004 was €0.852 million, that is, 0.28% of the gross allocation of €309.629 million. Taking extra appropriations-in-aid receipts into account, the total amount returned to the Exchequer was €3.842 million.

This total is made up of the following: extra appropriations-in-aid receipts of €2.99 million — target figure €19.998 million; amount received €22.988 million —€9.787 million of this was received in December, €4.731 million on 14 December and €5.056 million on 21 December; a saving of €0.736 million on the administrative budget of the Department, with €0.15 million of this amount being made available to my Department in 2005 under the efficiency dividend provisions of the Department's administrative budget agreement — savings on administration are not available for spending on programme budgets; a saving of €0.116 million on the programme spend of the Department, representing 0.04% of the gross programme budget of €292.052 million.

The Deputy will agree that this level of expenditure of the available resources reflects the effectiveness of the Department in progressing its objectives.