Department of Finance - Government of Ireland

Finance Vote Group
Commentary

Vote 6 - Department of Finance
The Department of Finance identified savings across subheads to reach the pre-Budget target for Vote 6. The Committee accepts these savings.

Change Management Fund - The Committee noted that significant additional funding is available across individual Votes to fund change management initiatives across the civil service and proposes a reduction of €2m in the Fund's allocation for 2003.

Vote 10 - Office of Public Works
The Office of Public Works submitted proposals which were €295m above the pre-Budget targets for Vote 10 and Vote 44. In the course of detailed discussions with the Committee, the Office agreed to measures to reduce the gross demand by €273m i.e. €22m above the pre-Budget target. The Committee is recommending a further reduction of €22m in "New works, alterations and additions" (subhead E of Vote 10) to achieve the pre-Budget target. The Committee is not making any recommendation in relation to prioritisation of projects.

Other votes in the Finance Group
The remaining Votes in the Finance Group consist mainly of Administrative Budget expenditure. The Committee did not examine the proposals submitted by these Offices. The Committee received an overall briefing from the Secretary General, Public Service Management & Development Division of the Department of Finance on the bids received and accepted the proposals of the Department of Finance in this regard.

Finance Vote Group
Summary of Committee's proposals
2002 REV				1178.961
Gross ELS figure for Vote Group				1247.819
Gross Pre-Budget target (PBT) for Vote Group				1200.935
Savings below ELS required to reach Pre-Budget target (share of €900m Government target)					46.884
Gross savings proposed by the Committee to contribute to €900m target				45.976
Proposed Revised Gross Allocation				1201.843


			€m	€m
Estimate bid submitted by the Finance Vote Group			1496.35	2003 Revised Gross Allocation for each subhead
(All Estimates were in line with the pre-Budget target except the OPW bid which was €295m above the PBT)

*Plus additional pressureswhich the Committee accepts must be met:***
Revenue	Administrative subheads	14.20
State Lab.	Administrative subheads	0.35
Ombudsman	Administrative subheads	0.05
	Total Additions		14.60

*Estimate bids including pressures*			*1510.95*

*Less savings* *proposed by the Committee*
Dept of Finance	Administrative Budget efficiency dividend	0.88		43.29
N	Change Management Fund (E)	2.00		6.60
	Subtotal		2.88

Superannuation	Savings across subheads (E)		3.00	229.42

OPW	Savings agreed between OPW and Committee	273.17
A	Administrative Budget efficiency dividend	0.63		30.87
E	New Works Programme (E)	22.00		220.64
	Subtotal		295.80

Presidents	Administrative Budget efficiency dividend		0.03	1.62

Oireachtas	Administrative Budget efficiency dividend		0.51	24.95

C&AG	Administrative Budget efficiency dividend		0.18	8.91

Revenue	Administrative Budget efficiency dividend		6.09	317.31

State Laboratory	Administrative Budget efficiency dividend		0.12	6.33

Valuation Office	Administrative Budget efficiency dividend		0.20	9.78

Civil Service Comm	Administrative Budget efficiency dividend		0.20	10.78

Ombudsman	Administrative Budget efficiency dividend		0.09	4.33

	*Total savings*		309.11

	Proposed Revised Gross Allocation		1201.84

	(E) refers to Estimating Savings