Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011

PART 3

Performance of Certain Functions

Estimates of expenditure in respect of supply services.

17.— (1) Each financial year the Government shall, upon a proposal of the Minister for Finance, make a decision approving an amount (in this section referred to as the “annual approved expenditure amount”) in respect of all supply services for the financial year immediately following the first-mentioned year.

(2) Where the Government have made a decision under subsection (1) or this subsection, they may, upon a proposal of the Minister for Finance, make a further decision approving an amount (in this section referred to as the “revised annual approved expenditure amount”) that is greater or less than the annual approved expenditure amount, in respect of all supply services for the financial year concerned.

(3) The Minister for Finance shall consult with the Minister in relation to a proposal referred to in subsection (1) and a proposal referred to in subsection (2).

(4) The Minister for Finance shall, on behalf of the Government, inform Dáil Éireann of a decision under this section as soon as may be after the decision is made.

(5) The aggregate of the estimates of expenditure consisting of supply grants and appropriations-in-aid in respect of supply services for a financial year prepared by the Minister in the performance of functions transferred to him or her by section 8 (1) shall not exceed the annual approved expenditure amount or the revised annual approved expenditure amount, as the case may be, for that financial year.

(6) The Minister for Finance may make recommendations to the Minister as respects the proportion of the annual approved expenditure amount or revised annual approved expenditure amount, as the case may be, that, having regard to fiscal and economic conditions, he or she considers should be applied to—

(a) meet current expenditure requirements, and

(b) meet capital expenditure requirements.