Written answers
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
Department of Foreign Affairs
Departmental Expenditure
2:30 pm
John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 273: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of unspent money returned by his Department to the Department of Finance each year since 2007; the departmental budget for each year since 2007; the projects for which this money was originally earmarked in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21783/10]
Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for two Votes – Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) and Vote 29 (International Cooperation). The following table sets out the Department's net budgetary allocations and surrendered surpluses for the years 2007 to 2009 for Vote 28 and Vote 29:
| Vote 28 - Dept of Foreign Affairs | |||
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
| €000 | €000 | €000 | |
| Net Budgetary Allocation | 214,945 | 233,437 | 206,762 |
| Net Outturn | 205,047 | 217,495 | 191,692 |
| Surplus Surrendered | 9,898 | 15,942 | 15,070 |
| Vote 29 – International Cooperation | |||
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
| €000 | €000 | €000 | |
| Net Budgetary Allocation | 729,807 | 814,050 | 570,203 |
| Net Outturn | 726,672 | 767,578 | 565,700 |
| Surplus Surrendered | 2,835 | 46,472 | 4,503 |
Note: 2009 figures are provisional and subject to audit.
The amounts surrendered in each year arise from net savings arising under various administrative and programme subheads and not specifically from projects for which funds had previously been earmarked. The following table summarises the areas where the most significant savings or underspends occurred, together with a brief explanation in each case. (It should be noted that in some cases savings under a particular sub-head may have been applied in whole or in part to offset overspends in other areas with the result that the figures for savings/underspends in the table below do not match the net amount surrendered in a particular year.)
| Vote 28 – Department of Foreign Affairs | ||
| Year | Subheads where Principal Savings/Underspends occurred. | Explanation |
| 2007 | A6 Premises Expenses (€14.8 m)K Assistance to EU Candidate Countries (€868,000)N Support for the Ireland Funds (€2.0m) | Local conditions did not permit a number of planned purchases of premises abroad.Funds allocated for the Chernobyl reconstruction programme were not called upon.Issues regarding the nature of the possible legislation required were still under consideration and, accordingly, the allocated funds were not spent. |
| 2008 | A1 Salaries and Allowances (€5.6m)A2 Travel and Subsistence (€1.1 m)A5 Office Expenses (€3.8m)A6 Premises Expenses (€1.3m)I Contributions to International Organisations (€6.3m)N Support for Ireland Funds(€2.0m) | Savings in overtime, allowances to officers working at Missions abroad and reduced payroll costs for local staff at Missions abroad; savings in allowances including officers' rents overseas due to the strength of the Euro.Savings on air fares and general travel costs.Savings on capital purchases, consumables, equipment maintenance.Savings on capital purchases.Savings were due to lower than expected demand for contributions to the United Nations peacekeeping budget.Issues regarding the nature of the possible legislation required were still under consideration and, accordingly, the allocated funds were not spent. |
| 2009 | A1 Salaries and Allowances (€5.0m)A2 Travel and Subsistence (€1.9m)A4 Postal and telecommunications (€1.0m)A5 Office Expenses(€4.2m)I Contributions to International Organisations (€4.9m)K Assistance to EU candidate countries (€221,000)N EU Reform Treaty(€214,000) | Savings in allowances to officers working at Missions abroad, including savings in officers' rents overseas due to the strength of the Euro, and reduced payroll costs of local staff at Missions.Savings on air fares and general travel costs.Savings on postage and freight costs.Savings on capital purchases, consumables, equipment maintenance.Savings arose due to a lower than expected demand for contributions to the United Nations peacekeeping budget.Lower level of grants to training institutes relating to new EU member-states.Lower than anticipated expenditure on the referendum on the EU Reform Treaty. |
| Vote 29 – International Cooperation | ||
| Year | Subheads where Principal Savings/Underspends occurred. | Explanation |
| 2007 | A1 Salaries and Allowances (€0.72m)A2 Travel and Subsistence (€0.33m)A3 Incidental Expenses (€1.15m)A4 Postal and telecommunication(€0.42m) | Savings occurred due to a deferment in recruitment of sanctioned posts.Savings were generated through lower than expected travel to Irish Aid Programme Countries.Savings were delivered by lower than anticipated incidental expenditure incurred at Programme Country level.Savings were delivered through better use of satellite and internet based telecommunication between head quarters and Programme countries. |
| 2008 | A4 Postal and telecommunication(€0.42m)A6 Office Premises Expenses (€ 0.25m)B - Payments to Grant in Aid For Bilateral Cooperation (€29.950 m)C - Emergency Humanitarian Assistance(€ 3.0 m)D – Payments to International Funds for the Benefit of Developing Countries( € 5.0 m)E – Contributions to United Nations and Other Development Agencies( € 7.051 m) | Savings were generated through an upgrade of the bandwidth on the communication links between Head Quarters and Programme Countries.Savings were achieved on the rental costs for Chanceries and Official Residences.Savings arose on this subhead as a result of the Government decision in July 2008 to reduce the expenditure allocation to Vote 29 by €45 millionExplanation for saving under Subhead C is as for subhead BExplanation for saving under subhead D is as for Subhead BExplanation for saving under Subhead E is as for Subhead B |
| 2009 | A2 Travel and Subsistence (€1.26m)A3 Incidental Expenses (€1.07m)A4 Postal and telecommunication(€0.28m)A6 Office Premises Expenses (€0.42 m)A7 Consultancy Expenses (€ 0.5 m)A8 Value for Money and Policy Reviews(€ 0.55 m) | Savings were delivered through lower than anticipated air fare costs and a reduction in general travel costs.Savings were identified across incidental expenditure at Programme Country level.Continued improvements in the telecommunication infrastructure between the Irish Aid Programme Country missions and Headquarters have resulted in savings being delivered under this subhead.Savings were achieved on rental costs on Irish Aid Embassies and Residences.Savings were achieved through a less than anticipated demand for technical consultancy services in 2009.Savings arose due to a lower than anticipated requirement for consultancy services under this subhead. |
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