Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 231: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the extent of any over or under-expenditure, capital or current, by Vote, heading or subheading to date in 2010 in tabular form; the reason for any surplus or shortfall; if expenditure to date in each case is in line with budgetary projections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44651/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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On the basis of expenditure to date and that forecast to year-end, my Department anticipates savings on the Vote in 2010 across some subheads. The anticipated savings will arise across various subheads on the Administrative Budget as well as across a range of other schemes and services. Some reallocation between subheads may also occur.

The difficulty in estimating the full-year savings arises as a result of the high proportion of scheme payments that are made in the final quarter of the year, for example approximately €1 billion has been paid under the Single Payment Scheme and Disadvantaged Area Scheme to date and I am confident that, by year-end, expenditure under both schemes will be well in excess of €1.2 billion. It is my intention that every effort will continue to be made to have all remaining payments issued as soon as possible. In addition, there are high levels of payments made under REPS in the latter months of the year and those payments will also continue until year-end. The end-November figures will provide a clearer estimate of the anticipated full-year expenditure and I will arrange to have a summary of the situation sent directly to the Deputy at that stage.