Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the policy decisions he has made to keep the current expenditure of his Department within the parameters allocated in his Department's budget for 2008; the savings in 2008, and the full year savings of each such initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15553/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's estimate for gross expenditure for 2008 is €557.1m, comprising €398.6m and €158.5m in current and capital expenditure respectively. This figure was agreed as part of the normal estimates process and was published in the Revised Estimates Volume in February 2008. The progress of spending across my Department's Vote is monitored on a continuous basis in order to ensure optimal use of the available resources. In addition to providing frequent expenditure reports to both the senior management of my Department and to the Department of Finance, an Expenditure Committee meets regularly to monitor expenditure within the parameters of my Department's 2008 budget. I also meet formally with senior management on a monthly basis to consider expenditure trends and any issues arising.

The Deputy may be aware that, on foot of an announcement in the 2008 Budget of an efficiency review of administrative spending across the public service, each Department has been asked to examine such spending, both within its own ambit and of bodies under its aegis, and to provide proposals for administrative savings to the Department of Finance. Any proposals for changes to existing schemes or services that may emerge from this process will be fully considered by my Department and discussed, as appropriate, with the Department of Finance.

Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the policy decisions she has made to keep the current expenditure of her Department within the parameters allocated in her Department's budget for 2008; the savings in 2008, and the full year savings of each such initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15550/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The gross estimate for my Department in 2008 is €1.868 billion. Some €1.439 billion of this relates to current expenditure on a range of measures including research and development, food safety and animal health, income and market supports, fisheries supports, grants-in-aid to state bodies and rural development support measures. It also includes administrative budget expenditure.

I am keeping all aspects of current expenditure under on-going, close scrutiny to ensure that the Department's budget is managed in a prudent and appropriate manner and in order to remain within the Vote allocations for the year. It is premature, at this stage in the year, to indicate what, if any savings, may occur. In addition, on the initiative of the Minister for Finance, Departments have been engaged in an efficiency review to identify measures which might be taken to effect efficiencies in service delivery. My Department has put forward a number of proposals which are being further examined with a view to identifying and introducing specific efficiency gains.