Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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13. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress made on the provision of funding to the natural environment, specifically from the National Lottery, as set out in 2013; when he expects the first disbursement will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33308/15]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The National Lottery provides funds for "Good Causes" in accordance with the National Lottery Act 2013.  The areas to be funded are set out under section 41 (1) of the National Lottery Act as follows:

-sport and recreation;

-national culture and heritage (including the Irish language);

-the arts (within the meaning of the Arts Act 2003);

-health of the community;

-youth, welfare and amenities; and

-the natural environment (added in the 2013 Act).

The Act also provides that the proceeds may be applied to such (if any) other purposes as the Government may determine from time to time.

A breakdown by Department of all the expenditure areas that are supported by the proceeds of the National Lottery is set out in Appendix 1 of the annual Revised Estimates for Public Services (available at ).

Funding is provided by the Oireachtas, in accordance with the Act, through expenditure subheads which form part of Departmental Programmes. For over a decade, the total allocation for these subheads has exceeded the amount available from the National Lottery. These subheads are described as being part-funded by the National Lottery and the balance of the expenditure allocation for the subheads comes from normal Exchequer sources (e.g. tax revenue or borrowing). All expenditure under these sub-heads, including that funded by the Lottery, counts towards the Government's expenditure ceiling in the year in question.

The 2013 Act provided for a new area the Natural Environment to be added to the list of categories that may be funded by the Lottery. It is open to relevant Departments (e.g. the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government or the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht) to make a proposal to my Department for Lottery funding for a project or programme relevant to this new area. Should an application be received, it will be considered in the context of the level of funds available for Good Causes in the relevant year as well as the Government's overall expenditure ceiling.

While, to date, moneys from the National Lottery Fund have not been disbursed to this area, it is important to note that the Government already provides significant funding to the Environment Sector, e.g. the Environment Fund and through the Vote of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.