Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 420: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the proposed spending envelopes approved and set out by his Department for the foreseeable future; the broad objectives to be achieved by spending of such financial envelopes; the timescale set out for achievement of targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25969/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that the question relates to the multi-annual capital envelopes which were introduced by the Minister for Finance in Budget 2004. These provide for a 5-year rolling programme of capital investment. A key feature of the initiative is that Departments are able to carry over to the following year any unspent Exchequer capital allocations, up to a maximum of 10% of each annual capital subhead.

My Department does not have a capital spending envelope. This is because the Department's capital expenditure relates entirely to the development and modernisation of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure which supports the operation of my Department and to the e-government REACH project. This expenditure is governed by the terms of the Administrative Budget Agreement between my Department and the Department of Finance. The Agreement provides for a three year rolling programme of expenditure and has its own carryover arrangements.