Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 211: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will provide a detailed breakdown of the €2,327,000 expended in 2009 under the heading of Miscellaneous Payments, X2; if she will provide a breakdown of the €2,549,000 provided for same in the Book of Estimates 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3314/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Estimates for my Department which were published on 9 December 2009 in parallel with the 2010 Budget included an estimate for Subhead X2 (Miscellaneous Payments) of €2.327 million for 2009 and €2.549 million for 2010.

The Miscellaneous Payments subhead primarily makes provision for legal costs which might be expected to arise in the course of the work of my Department and its Offices. These costs might arise, for example, from actions taken against the Department or its Offices.

Provision has also been made in the subhead for legal costs in respect of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board. While the Board funds its operational costs through fees charged in the course of its activities, I have been advised by the Attorney General's Office that the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003, does not allow such fees to be used to cover non-operational legal costs, such as those arising from general legal challenges to the operation of the PIAB. While this advice related to a specific case, it is nonetheless prudent to provide for such costs to be borne by my Department.

The 2009 estimate for Subhead X2 of my Department's Vote included €650,000 to meet potential legal costs arising during 2009 in relation to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board. Approximately €622,000 of this provision was spent. A provision of €581,000 is included in the 2010 Estimate for Subhead X2 in respect of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board's potential legal costs.

Apart from some other very minor provisions, the subhead includes a contingency sum, as required in accordance with standing instructions from the Department of Finance, to cater for unforeseen items which might emerge in the course of the year. A sum of €656,000 was provided for contingencies in 2009. The corresponding sum for 2010 is €588,000.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 212: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the breakdown for the €87,310,000 in the 2010 Book of Estimates for appropriations-in-aid received in 2009; the breakdown for the €95,092,000 provided in 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3316/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Estimates for my Department which were published on 9 December 2009 in parallel with the 2010 Budget reflected an estimate of €87.310 million in Appropriations-in-Aid for 2009 and an estimate of €95.902 million in Appropriations-in-Aid for 2010.

The breakdown of the 2009 figure was published in the 2009 Revised Estimates Volume. The breakdown of the 2010 figure will be published in the 2010 Revised Estimate Volume in February. In summary, the main sources of funding under this heading relate to receipts from the European Social Fund, Employment Permit fees, monies received by the Companies Registration Office, the Patents Office, the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority in the course of their operations, superannuation contributions from certain agencies, contributions from the Pension Related Deduction for public servants, and other miscellaneous receipts.

Appropriations-in-Aid realised in 2009 were lower than forecast, at approximately €73 million. This shortfall was due to the non-receipt of monies from the European Social Fund which are now expected to be received in 2010. The forecast of Appropriations-in-Aid for 2010 published on 9 December 2009 was provisional and will be reviewed in the context of the 2010 Revised Estimates Volume.