John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 333: To ask the Minister for Defence 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. [21778/10]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Details of the amount of the gross Departmental budget (i.e. the combined Defence and Army Pensions Estimates) and of the combined amount surrendered to the Exchequer for the years 2007 to 2009 are given in the following table. A broad indication of the composition of the amount surrendered each year follows the table.

a) This amount was made up of savings across a range of pay and non-pay subheads (including subheads B – PDF Pay, D – RDF Pay and L – Buildings), offset by various excesses mainly on subheads I – Military Transport, M - Ordnance, Clothing and Catering, and reduced Appropriations-in-Aid.

(b) This amount was made up of savings across a range of pay and non-pay subheads (including subheads B – PDF Pay, I - Military Transport, L - Buildings and P - Travel and Freight Services), offset by various excesses mainly on subheads G - Defensive Equipment and M - Ordnance, Clothing and Catering.

(c) This amount was made up of savings across a range of subheads (including subheads G - Defensive Equipment, I - Military Transport, J - Naval Service, M – Ordnance, Clothing and Catering, and surplus Appropriations–in-Aid, offset by various excesses mainly on subheads C - PDF Allowances and R - Lands.

About 70% of the Defence Estimate is expended on the pay and allowances of Defence Forces personnel, civilian employees and civil service staff. The non-pay current expenditure provides for the day-to-day standing costs of the Defence Forces, expenditure on operations and the procurement of equipment. Defence capital expenditure focuses on new building works to improve the accommodation and facilities of the Defence Forces. The Army Pensions Estimate makes provision for the payment of retirement and disability-related benefits to former members of the Defence Forces and the spouses and children of deceased members.