Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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374. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he accepts the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council’s assessment that the credibility of the Budget process is being undermined by the concealment of spending overruns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48393/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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375. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the measures being taken to ensure that spending forecasts for Budget 2026 reflect realism and transparency, in line with IFAC recommendations. [48394/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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376. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to detail the total cost of expenditure overruns, by Department in 2025 to date; and the corrective actions, if any, being implemented to manage these overruns. [48395/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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377. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will commit to publishing quarterly reports on departmental spending variances in order to prevent the concealment of overruns and to restore public trust in the budgetary process. [48396/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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378. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he accepts the warning of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council that persistent overspending without disclosure risks overheating the economy and undermining fiscal stability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48397/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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390. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in view of the Fiscal Advisory Council’s report that current spending is exceeding targets, if he will publish sector-by-sector projections for 2026 and 2027, to demonstrate the government’s capacity to maintain critical services without undermining fiscal stability. [48863/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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396. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to provide a full breakdown, by Department, of current expenditure overruns to date in 2025, including voted expenditure; and how these figures compare with the allocations approved in Budget 2025. [49382/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 390 and 396 together.

The Fiscal Monitor is published on the third working day of each month on the Department of Finance website at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-finance/collections/fiscal-monitors-2025/. The Fiscal Monitor provides both gross and net year-to-date current and capital figures for each vote group. The report also details expenditure against profile as well as year-on-year performance. It also sets the latest 2025 allocation for each Department.

As at end August, year to date aggregate gross spending was €0.5 billion or 0.7% ahead of the amount profiled to be spent by Departments. As part of regular expenditure monitoring, Departments are required to provide explanations for significant variances, identify emerging risks, and outline mitigating measures to ensure they remain with their budgeted allocation.

In addition to monthly expenditure monitoring through the Fiscal Monitor, my Department manages expenditure pressures and potential overruns through the annual Estimates process, which provides a structured framework for reviewing and adjusting departmental allocations. During the preparation of Estimates Departments are required to submit detailed information on spending trends, emerging pressures, and any anticipated deviations from their original allocations. This process allows for my Department to carry out a comprehensive assessment of funding requirements and facilitates the appropriate allocation of resources across areas, subject to Government approval.

Furthermore, my Department engages in regular bilateral discussions with Departments to assess the sustainability of their spending plans. Managing the delivery of public services within budgetary allocations is the responsibility of each Minister and their Department, who are required to ensure that appropriate measures are in place to facilitate financial control within budgetary targets. As part of my Department’s role supporting the appropriate use of public funds across government bodies, it establishes the governance frameworks, or rules, setting out the principles and procedures for how money should be spent. The aim of these rules is to support Accounting Officers in discharging their responsibility to ensure expenditure is managed in line with the Voted allocation and that services are delivered in an effective and efficient manner to support the achievement of value for money.

The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council provide a valuable input into the discussion on how we resource our growing population and economy, and how we tackle the challenges which we are facing. I welcome the publication of the June Fiscal Assessment Report and the September Pre-Budget Statement and note the key findings. My Department takes the need for accurate and credible budgeting seriously.

Government set out the parameters for Budget 2026 in the SES with voted spending of €116.6 billion planned for next year. In the context of the annual Estimates process, Departments have been asked to identify efficiencies and reforms with a view to delivering policies and services as efficiently as possible. Following the conclusion of discussions with Departments and Ministers, allocations for next year for each Department will be published on Budget day in the Expenditure Report.