Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline the reasons behind the capital underspend in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55528/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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My Department is responsible for a wide range of programmes, including in the areas of housing, water services, environmental protection, local government services, and community and rural development.

The Revised Estimates for Public Services 2012, published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in February 2012, detail gross expenditure of €467 million on the current side of the Vote and gross capital expenditure (including carryover) of €895 million in respect of my Department in 2012.

Current spending in 2012 is running close to the profile established at the start of the year. Capital spending is behind profile; this is due primarily to fewer new water services contracts than had been expected commencing in 2012 and to slower than anticipated drawdown of housing expenditure by local authorities. I expect significant further drawdown of expenditure to take place by end 2012.

Consideration will be given, in consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, to the appropriate use of any potential savings arising on the Vote. In this regard, the Estimates for Public Services2013 published as part of Budget 2013 provide for carryover of €43 million of capital funding from 2012 for use on my Department’s programmes in the housing, environmental, local government and community areas .