Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 297: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the amount of his Department's budgetary allocation for 2004; the amount of this allocation which was returned to the Department of Finance at year's end; the Vote head from which such returned allocations were derived; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23975/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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A total of €1.48 million of the Communications, Marine and Natural Resources 2004 Estimate provision was surrendered to the Exchequer. A table shows the budgets and outturns at a subhead level in 2004 for expenditure together with total estimated and actual receipts. The surrender to the Exchequer in any one year is a function of both expenditure and receipts in that year. It is not possible, therefore, to associate the surrender with specific subheads, although the table below does set out details of variations from planned expenditure at subhead level that contributed to overall gross savings.

In general, savings under the annual Vote provisions arise within capital expenditure programmes. Prior to the introduction of the multi-annual capital investment framework in 2004, Departments were allocated within the annual Estimates process a capital budget for the current year. No provision was made for the carry over of any capital savings to future years. This process did not facilitate best practice multi-annual project planning or guarantee the position in respect of future allocations for capital projects.

The multi-annual capital investment framework, announced by the Minister for Finance in the December 2003 budget, provides for multi-annual capital envelopes of five years and year-to-year carry overs and addresses these difficulties by enabling Departments and their agencies to plan and manage more efficiently and effectively their capital investment programmes. Savings arising in one year can now be carried forward to fund future requirements as part of a multi-annual capital investment plan. A total of €10 million of overall 2004 savings were, accordingly, carried over to 2005. The framework will also ensure that both a proper balance is maintained between different areas of investment and that value for money is obtained from capital investment.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 298: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the amount his Department has spent to date in 2005 on the implementation of the provisions of the Official Languages Act 2003; his estimate of the amount which his Department will spend on the implementation of the Official Languages Act 2003 for the full year in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24009/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provisionally estimates that €13,300 has been spent to date in 2005 on the implementation of the provisions of the Official Languages Act 2003. My Department is not in a position to provide an estimate of expenditure for the full year. Expenditure will continue to be monitored closely.