Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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493.To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will set out the composition of the €3.7 billion existing services level expenditure by Departments, as set out in the summer economic statement; the percentage increase against the revised estimates allocated to each Department and the one-off measures netted off against the €3.7 billion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32323/24]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Summer Economic Statement (SES) is an important milestone in the annual budgetary process. It sets out the broad parameters for the forthcoming annual Budget in terms of current and capital, giving the wider macroeconomic context within which the parameters are set and is the basis for which my Department negotiates the overall allocations to each Department.

The 2024 SES set out an indicative provision of €3.7 billion to meet Existing Levels of Service (ELS) costs. This amount is net of the reversal of temporary measures which were part of the Budget 2024 Cost of Living package to support households and businesses and, as set out in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2024, had costs fall in 2024. The €3.7 billion is an overall provision and allocations by Department will be determined as part of Budget 2025 negotiations.

ELS provides funding for the continued delivery of public services, including;

• Childcare enhancements to the National Childcare Strategy and continued implementation of funding;
• Carryover costs of measures for disability services including the Workplace Relations Commission agreement;
• Additional funding to meet commitments in relation to social housing, homelessness and water services;
• Extension of hot school meals and child benefit and introduction of pay related benefit for Jobseekers;
• Funding to meet demographic requirements, including additional staff, across key sectors including Education, Social Protection and Health.

The final amounts in relation to each area to be funded as part of ELS and New Measures will be determined as part of the Estimates process. Increases in funding in Budget 2025 compared to the 2024 allocations for each Department will be published in the Expenditure Report.