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The Government last month published its revised spending
estimates for 2010 showing that it will fork out €61
billion on day-to-day spending - a 3pc fall on 2009.
The list of cuts will be a disappointment for the Green Party
with the biggest fall in spending being on Environment with
a massive 17.9pc drop, while Transport sees a 10.9pc fall,
Health and Children down 4.2pc and Social Welfare down 2.6pc.
Capital Expenditure will amount to €6.4 billion - which,
given the fall in the cost of tenders, is about the same as
2009.
"The Revised Estimates Volume provides for the extensive
public services and capital investment that the State will
perform in 2010. Even with reduced budgets overall, gross
spending will still amount to €61 billion - or 38pc of
GDP in 2010. This expenditure will provide public services
including social welfare assistance, the provision of healthcare
and education and the many initiatives to support and stimulate
economic growth," Finance Minister Brian Lenihan said.
"The reductions in public expenditure will also assist in
supporting economic growth by improving the competitiveness
of our economy. Improvements in competitiveness will encourage
businesses to invest and create jobs.
"Given the lower level of revenue resources for 2010, there
remains a need for the strict control of public expenditure,
which the Government successfully completed last year," he
said.
"However, even with reduced resources, we are maintaining
public capital investment at almost 5pc of GNP. This is one
of the highest in the euro area and will underpin our ability
to achieve an early return to positive economic growth later
this year and next."
The Minister explained that the Revised Estimates Volume
(REV)
gives a fuller, more detailed breakdown of spending by each
Department and Vote announced on Budget Day. The REV also
gives the provisional outturn for spending in 2009. Details
of changes to the Estimates are set out in the Volume itself.
Total gross voted expenditure in 2010 is projected at €61.2
billion, just under €2 billion less than 2009. The year-on-year
percentage decrease over 2009 is 1.8pc in respect of Current
Expenditure, 12.3pc for Capital and a decrease of 3.0pc overall
- in line with the percentages published at Budget time. All
the major Vote Groups show a decline except for Social and
Family Affairs and Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
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