Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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297. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the expenditure savings that are earmarked for his Department for 2018 that are not accounted for in the mid-year expenditure report or are not included in the fiscal space calculations for 2018. [38907/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Mid-Year Expenditure Report sets out the pre-Budget expenditure ceiling for my Ministerial Vote Group of €943 million for current expenditure and €176 million for capital expenditure. This represents the spending baseline for examination of my Department's budgetary priorities for 2018.

As outlined in the Mid-Year Expenditure Report, the increases planned in expenditure for the delivery of public services are set at sustainable levels in order to ensure that the resources allocated are affordable both now and in the future. Consequently, it is important that there is an ongoing focus on the totality of Departmental spending and not just the incremental increase each year.

This was the context for this year's Spending Review which will support the consideration of existing expenditure alongside budgetary proposals during the Budget Estimates process. Where any savings are identified during the Estimates process they can be used to meet any emerging expenditure pressures without impacting on the available fiscal space. Work is ongoing in this regard in the context of the preparation of the Estimates for 2018 which will be announced at Budget-time.