Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 166: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if the capital envelope budgeting programme has been used since 2004; the value of capital savings carried over in 2005, 2006 and estimated in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31937/07]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 167: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if five year multi-annual investment framework agreements have been created with all Departments; if there is any Department in which this agreement has not been made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31938/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 together.

The Multi-Annual Capital Investment Framework was announced by my predecessor in Budget 2004 and the capital carryover mechanism was provided for in the 2004 Finance Act. The Multi-Annual Capital Envelopes were set out in the subsequent Budgets, and a revised capital envelope framework was published in tandem with the National Development Plan 2007-2013 in January of this year. I intend to publish a new five-year capital envelope for the 2008-2012 period on Budget Day.

The Multi-Annual Capital Investment Framework applies in respect of capital expenditure across all Votes. All such capital expenditure is subject to the sanction of my Department, in line with the "General Conditions of Sanction for Multi Annual Capital Envelopes" as set out in Appendix 3 to my Department's Guidelines for the Appraisal and Management of Capital Expenditure Proposals in the Public Sector of February 2005.

In relation to capital carryover, €236.967m was carried forward from 2004 into 2005, €289.268m was carried forward from 2005 into 2006 and €159.135m was carried forward from 2006 into 2007. The amount of capital carryover from 2007 into 2008 will be announced on Budget Day.