Written answers

Tuesday, 6 February 2018

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Departmental Expenditure

Photo of Michael FitzmauriceMichael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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159. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the Departments that had an underspend for 2015, 2016 and 2017; the amount of the underspend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5381/18]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Managing the delivery of public services within budgetary allocations is a key responsibility of each Minister and their Departments, and there are important measures in place to ensure that budgetary targets are met. However, given the scale of gross voted Government expenditure c. €58.5 billion in aggregate in 2017 - and the cash basis of Government accounting, some variance from profiled expenditure is to be expected. The tables below set out the level of underspends, on a gross basis, across the relevant Ministerial Vote Groups for the years 2015, 2016 and 2017. Some totals are affected by rounding. These underspends are compared to allocations in the relevant Revised Estimates Volume (REV) and, therefore, do not reflect any Supplementary Estimates.  With regard to the treatment of capital carryover, the capital carryover into the following year is included in the expenditure outturns for each year.

In summary, 8 Ministerial Vote Groups reported underspends in 2015, 10 Vote Groups in 2016 and 11 Vote Groups in 2017.  Underspends can occur for a number of reasons. For example, this may include changes in policy decisions or lower than expected take-up of a particular programme or service.

Where spending in a number of Departments comes in under profile, these savings can be used to offset additional expenditure in Departments that require Supplementary Estimates and thereby assist with meeting overall budgetary targets. 

2015----
Department REV allocation (€m)Outturn (€m)Variance (€m)Variance (%)
Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 277 277 -1 -0.2%
Communications, Energy and Natural Resources 415 401 -14 -3.4%
Defence 898 898 0 0%
Environment, Community and Local Government 1,329 1,284 -45 -3.4%
Finance 451 443 -8 -1.9%
Foreign Affairs and Trade 687 684 -2 -0.3%
Public Expenditure and Reform 1,017 1,012 -5 -0.5%
Taoiseach's 170 159 -11 -6.3%
2016----
Department REV allocation (€m)Outturn (€m)Variance (€m)Variance (%)
Agriculture, Food and the Marine 1,351 1,267 -84 -6.2%
Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs 383 376 -7 -1.9%
Children and Youth Affairs 1,138 1,086 -52 -4.6%
Communications, Climate Action and Environment 466 437 -30 -6.4%
Defence 905 905 0 0%
Finance 455 443 -13 -2.8%
Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government 1,3841,370-14-1.0% 
Health 14,109 14,107 -2 0%
Justice and Equality 2,458  2,449-10-0.4%
Public Expenditure and Reform 1,051 1,004 -46 -4.4%
Taoiseach's 204 188 -17 -8.3%
2017----
Department REV allocation (€m)Outturn (€m)Variance (€m)Variance (%)
Agriculture, Food and the Marine 1,468 1,391 -78 -5.3%
Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 288 287 -1 -0.4%
Children and Youth Affairs 1,311 1,249 -62 -4.7%
Communications, Climate Action and Environment 528 498 -31 -5.8%
Finance 465 457 -7 -1.6%
Foreign Affairs and Trade 715 711 -4 -0.6%
Business, Enterprise and Innovation 857 852 -5 -0.5%
Public Expenditure and Reform 1,094 1,068 -26 -2.4%
Taoiseach's 182 167 -15 -8.3%
Transport, Tourism and Sport 1,810 1,802 -8 -0.4%
Rural and Community Development 163 144 -19 -11.6%

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