Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Act 2003

Annual estimate of ongoing expenditure.

13.—(1) The Commission shall prepare and publish a statement of estimates of the amount of moneys required by it in respect of ongoing expenditure for—

(a) in the case of the first statement, the period beginning on the establishment day and ending on the following 31 December, and

(b) in the case of every subsequent statement, the period of 12 months starting on 1 January in each year.

(2) The second statement of estimates and subsequent statements of estimates shall include a breakdown of moneys paid out by the Commission in respect of ongoing expenditure for the period covered by the immediately preceding statement of estimates.

(3) In each year a statement of estimates of the Commission shall be—

(a) presented to Dáil Éireann, on a motion that Dáil Éireann take note of the statement, by a member of the Commission who is a member of Dáil Éireann, or any other member of Dáil Éireann nominated by the Commission for that purpose, and

(b) when Dáil Éireann has taken note of the statement in accordance with paragraph (a), furnished by the Secretary General to the Minister not later than 30 days before the presentation by the Minister to Dáil Éireann of the Estimates of the Receipts and Estimates of the Expenditure in that year.

(4) If, in any year, the Commission fails to prepare and publish a statement of estimates in accordance with this section, the Minister shall make such provision as he or she sees fit for the purposes of the presentation by the Minister to Dáil Éireann of the Estimates of the Receipts and Estimates of the Expenditure in that year.

(5) (a) If, in any year, the chairperson of the Commission shows to the satisfaction of the Minister in a document provided by him or her, that the expenditure incurred by the Commission to be charged on and paid out of the Central Fund under section 5 (1) will exceed the sum referred to in section 5 (2) before further provision can be made by the Oireachtas in relation to the funding of the Commission, additional expenditure of the Commission not exceeding one half of the ongoing expenditure for the period covered in the statement of estimates last prepared and published under this section shall be charged on and paid out of the Central Fund.

(b) Subsection (5)(a) may be applied only in respect of one year and after such application shall not have effect in relation to any other year.