Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1470. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the percentage of her 2023 capital budget allocation that has been spent in the first nine months of the year. [48760/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Department’s gross capital budget for 2023 is €231 million, with an additional €14.5 million available from capital carried forward from 2022, giving a total available capital budget of €245.5 million.

The capital carry forward from 2022, of €14.5 million, has been fully utilised. In addition, to end September, there was gross capital expenditure of €94.8m, or 35% of the €231m. To end October, this has risen to €114.7m or 43% of the €231m.

It should be noted that the nature of the Department’s capital programmes means capital expenditure is strongest in the last few months of the year, as local authorities and other delivery partners submit claims for work that have been completed throughout the year.

Departmental expenditure is being closely managed, and full use of our capital funding is expected by year end, although similar to previous years, the Department will consider whether it is prudent to carry forward any unspent capital funding from 2023, for use in 2024.