Written answers

Wednesday, 9 July 2014

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Departmental Budgets

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)
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28. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide details of the 60% decline in central Exchequer funding for the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation between 2008 and 2014, from €1.93 billion to €0.78 billion according to voted expenditure figures; his views on whether this reduction in funding is impacting on that Department's ability to drive job creation and economic recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29663/14]

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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A key objective of this Government is to create a positive environment to support business and growth, drive exports and facilitate job creation and retention by the enterprise sector. Your question in relation to the impact of any expenditure reduction on the Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation s ability to drive job creation and economic recovery is, in the first instance, a matter for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

However, I can clarify that the change in voted expenditure levels at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI) between 2008 and 2014 reflect in large part the transfer of Fás and the National Training Fund from DJEI to the Department of Education and Skills in 2010. Funding for these functions amounted to over €1.1 billion in 2008 (€400m in respect of the National Training Fund and €711 million in respect of Fás-related expenditure). Deduction of these elements results in a figure of €826 million for DJEI s gross expenditure in 2008. When compared with DJEI s 2014 gross allocation of €781 million, the reduction in voted expenditure between 2008 and 2014 is 5.4%.

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