Written answers
Tuesday, 17 October 2023
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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178. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the breakdown of the Covid Contingency Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44999/23]
Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Budget 2024 Expenditure Report set out €4.5 billion in non-core expenditure. Approximately €1.3 billion is categorised as Covid-19 expenditure relating to direct and indirect impact of the pandemic.
Allocations of this funding by Department, as shown Chapter 2 of the Budget 2024 Expenditure Book, are set out below. All funding has been allocated.
| € millions | |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, Food and the Marine | - |
| Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth | 18 |
| Defence | - |
| Education | 35 |
| Enterprise, Trade and Employment | - |
| Environment, Climate and Communications | - |
| Finance | - |
| Foreign Affairs | 10 |
| Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science | 10 |
| Health | 982 |
| Housing, Local Government and Heritage | 7 |
| Justice | 5 |
| Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform | - |
| Rural and Community Development | - |
| Social Protection | - |
| Taoiseach's | 1 |
| Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media | 47 |
| Transport | 150 |
| Total | 1,265 |
In the Summer Economic Statement 2023, the Government indicated a provision of circa €750 million for Covid related expenditure in 2024. As part of the Estimates process, an additional amount of €500 million will be provided. This brings the total allocation for Covid related expenditure to €1.3 billion for 2024.
The largest allocation is to the Department of Health at €982 million. This will support the Department to manage the ongoing vaccination programme and response to the pandemic, the legacy of increased activity, demand and costs across the acute hospitals around the country following the pandemic and the knock on effect on waiting lists.
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