Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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154. To ask the Minister for Finance the gross contribution Ireland has made to the European Union budget per annum from 2010 to 2016; the estimated contribution in 2017; the net benefit or contribution made in each year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33790/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware and as outlined in the table below, Ireland became a net contributor to the EU budget in 2014.

EU Budget payments and public sector receipt data are published annually by the Department of Finance in the Budget Statistics publication. The public sector receipt measure captures funds under 'shared management' between national and EU authorities. In addition, the EU also pays some additional receipts directly to private beneficiaries under 'centralised direct management', most notably under the EU research funding programme.

For ease of reference, Ireland's receipts from and contributions to the EU Budget for the years 2010 to 2015 are set out in the following table:

Source: Department of Finance

* - Direct Management - funds which are awarded and spent directly by the Commission. These are primarily research receipts.

Ireland's contribution to the EU budget in 2016 was c. €2,022 million. In relation to receipts for 2016, a final outturn will be published as part of the Budget Statistics report which is due to be published in the Autumn.

According to Budget 2017, my Department  forecasts that our contribution to the EU budget will be c. €2,400 million in 2017. However, this forecast is contingent on a number of variables, including the size of the overall EU budget for the year and other EU budget operational developments which will only emerge as the year progresses.