Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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36. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will report on the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2545/22]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Revised Estimates for Public Services (REV) 2022 was published on 15 December 2021, presented to the Dáil on the same date and has been referred by the Dáil to the Select Committees for consideration. Just under €83 billion in gross expenditure is allocated across Departments in the REV, with a further €4.6 billion being held in reserve primarily to allow Government respond to the challenges of Covid-19 and Brexit.

Expenditure allocated in Departmental Estimates for Covid-19 related measures amounts to  €3.1 billion with a further €3.9 billion set aside in the Covid Contingency Reserves. This brings to €7 billion the total available to support our key public services in responding to the challenges of Covid-19 and to support our workers and businesses impacted by the pandemic.

Separately, the level of resources being set aside for core spending in REV 2022 is significant – just over €80 billion in 2022 compared to just over €70 billion in the pre-Covid REV for 2020.

The REV sets out Departmental capital allocations of €11.1 billion for 2022. Taking into account capital carryover of €0.8 billion from 2021, this leaves almost €12 billion available for Departments for capital spending this year.

The allocations in the REV and the funding held in reserve are focused on:

- addressing our infrastructure challenges including in the key areas of housing and climate action;

- continuing to enhance our public services and social supports;

- providing appropriate supports to address the ongoing challenges of Covid-19 and Brexit; and

- continuing the process of returning the public finances to a more sustainable position.

As in previous years, the REV also includes performance information, which provides details on the public service outputs and outcomes that are being delivered with public funds and includes indicators relating to equality objectives. In March of last year, Government agreed to establish an inter-departmental network on Equality Budgeting in order to further support the implementation of Equality Budgeting across all departments. This work is reflected in the REV 2022 with Equality Budgeting indicators now included for a range of Votes across eighteen Ministerial Vote Groups.