Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Departmental Expenditure

9:00 pm

Photo of George LeeGeorge Lee (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 170: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 114 of 17 November 2009, if further details are now available; when she expects examination and collation of the returns received in October 2009 to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48241/09]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Government Decision of 19 May 2009 regarding the reduction of payment periods by Government Departments to 15 days included a requirement for Departments to report quarterly to my Department on their performance in meeting this target. These reports are to be submitted by the 15th day of the month following the end of the quarter. The Reports provide details of invoices paid within 15 days, between 16 and 30 days and over 30 days. The first returns by Departments cover the period 15 June to 30 September 2009.

Tables 1 and 2 contain the payment details received from Government Departments. In summary, these returns show a total of 62,860 payments were made by Departments in the above period amounting to €1.92bn; 49,890 payments totalling approximately €1.76bn were paid within 15 days. These payments represent 80 % of total payments made by Departments; in value terms 91% were paid within 15 days. A further 17% or almost 11,000 payments were made between 16 and 30 days and overall, 97% of payments during the period amounting to €1.86bn were paid within 30 days. Although there was some variation between the performances of individual Departments, 5 Departments were paying in excess of 90% of invoices within 15 days, a further 7 Departments were paying in excess of 83% of invoices within 15 days, while the remaining three had paid almost 50% of their payments within 15 days.

Some 9 Departments had paid between 98% and 100% of their invoices within 30 days and a further 5 had paid between 93% and 96% of their invoices within 30 days, while the remaining Department had paid 87% of invoices within 30 days. It is evident from the returns received, that Departments are playing their parts in assisting the cash flow of their suppliers, many of whom are Small and Medium Enterprises. The new procedures and processes introduced are having an impact in assisting Irish SMEs cash flow in the current difficult economic environment and I welcome this development. Future quarterly returns will show the overall consistency of Departments in meeting the 15-day payment requirement and any changes in the performance of individual Departments.

Prompt Payment Figures From Returns from Government Departments
For the Period 15 June 2009 – 30 September 2009
TABLE 1: GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS% No. of payments within 15 daysNo. of Payments within 15 days% of overall Total value paid within 15 daysValue of Payments within 15 days
Transport98%4348100%€685,528,088
Health and Children98%1278100%€122,705,387
Defence92%995990%€34,978,685
Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs91%64594%€1,622,023
Finance91%89092%€4,988,640
Agriculture, Fisheries & Food89%1022088%€23,839,408
Arts, Sport & Tourism87%50098%€4,644,701
Foreign Affairs87%173286%€7,259,005
Enterprise, Trade and Employment85%169999%€41,989,012
Education and Science85%473498%€181,848,232
Environment, Heritage and Local Government84%564673%€354,502,221
Communications, Marine and Natural Resources84%96998%€115,587,358
Social and Family Affairs52%313796%€130,055,768
Taoiseach47%23380%€2,069,541
Justice, Equality & Law Reform45%390088%€43,708,489
TOTAL49,890€1,755,326,559
TABLE 2: GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS% No. of payments within 30 daysNo. of payments within 30 days% Value of overall total value paid within 30 daysValue of payments within 30 days
Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs100%703100%€1,721,903
Transport100%4425100%€686,005,133
Health and Children100%1303100%€122,755,401
Arts, Sport & Tourism99%570100%€4,732,167
Finance99%97099%€5,395,130
Agriculture, Fisheries & Food99%1131799%€26,802,795
Foreign Affairs98%195899%€8,340,111
Justice, Equality & Law Reform98%8407100%€49,335,544
Defence98%1066595%€37,169,992
Environment, Heritage and Local Government96%647989%€433,939,549
Education and Science96%5346100%€184,765,623
Enterprise, Trade and Employment95%1913100%€42,435,723
Communications, Marine and Natural Resources94%1088100%€117,835,278
Taoiseach93%45999%€2,544,361
Social and Family Affairs87%522699%€135,341,483
TOTAL60,829€1,859,120,192

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