Tribunals:The budget for the planning tribunal is being increased by 33 per cent next year, even though the inquiry is nearing its end, writes Paul Cullen
Funding for the inquiries funded by the Department of Justice is being boosted significantly, with a year-on-year increase of 75 per cent. The allocation is to rise from €12.3 million this year to €16.3 million in 2006.
Meanwhile, the allocation for the Moriarty tribunal is being reduced from €10.6 million this year to €9.1 million in 2006.
The Department of Justice plans to spend €19.2 million on commissions and special inquiries next year, up from €10.9 million this year.
Research
Research spending saw small incremental increases in most departments, with only a few exceptions, writes Dick Ahlstrom.
The Marine Institute received a 10 per cent increase, research funding body Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) saw an 11 per cent increase, and dedicated R&D spending within the Department of Education and Science went up by 17 per cent.
Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin indicated the increase in spending to almost €81 million would support the start-up of cycle four of the university funding scheme, Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions. It would also expand the activities of the two research councils for the science and the humanities.
SFI is listed under Estimates for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Its increase pushes spending during 2006 to €242,598,000.
This represents the final stages of SFI spending for research under the current National Development Plan 2000-2006.
The science awareness programme, Discover Science and Engineering, received a substantial 60 per cent increase in funding to €4 million. Within the Department of Health and Children there was a modest 3 per cent increase in spending under a research heading which includes the Health Research Board. It brings spending to a collective €29.8 million.
Arts
The Arts Council will get an 18.5 per cent increase in its 2006 budget, bringing its spending to €72.3 million, writes Arts Editor Deirdre Falvey.
Overall funding allocated to the arts increases next year by 13.3 per cent, with €99.981 million allocated in the Estimates for current expenditure. Within the Arts Council allocation, €3 million has been earmarked for funding traditional arts to implement its new policy.
Cultural institutions (National Library, National Archives, Chester Beatty Library, IMMA and the NCH, National Museum) were allocated €23 million.
The promotion of Irish arts abroad was allocated €3 million. No announcements were made about capital expenditure on the arts yesterday, so possible decisions on building projects proposed by the Abbey, the National Concert Hall, and Wexford Festival Opera will have to wait until budget day.
Similarly, there was no indication of any decisions on the retention or otherwise of the Artists' Tax Exemption Scheme, which will also be a budget issue. One exception to the capital funding is the Irish Film Board, and the Estimates included a provisional capital allocation of €12.1 million for 2006 for the board, as agreed last year. The allocation is being reviewed and will be announced on budget day.
Marine
The Government has postponed allocating funding to continue the national sea-bed survey, the world's largest research project of its type, writes Lorna Siggins.
Estimates for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources also confirm that the key functions of maritime safety, the Irish Coast Guard and maritime transport and harbours will be transferred to the Department of Transport from January 1st. The necessary budgetary changes will be reflected in the revised Estimates published next February, according to the department. It will continue to hold responsibility for these marine areas until the end of this year, it says.
Increases within the department have been earmarked for communications, with almost 40 million being provided in 2006 for information and communications technology and over 36 million for further delivery of broadband.
Over 17 million has been given to Sustainable Energy Ireland to develop and implement energy conservation programmes. Almost 45 million for the seafood sector includes initial funding for the decommissioning scheme for whitefish vessels, which will cost 45 million over four years. Some 21 million has been given for fishery harbour development, and there is a 10 per cent increase for marine research. Over €28 million has been provided for inland fisheries, which is being re-organised with the subsuming of the central and regional fisheries boards into a new national inland fisheries authority.
Emigrants
Support for Irish emigrants overseas is to rise from €8.2 million to €12 million. Most of the funding will go on services for Irish people living in Britain, particularly the most vulnerable. There will also be substantial increases for emigrant groups in the US and Australia.
Nursing homes refunds
The health spending outlined in the Estimates do not make provision for the estimated €400 million that will have to be spent next year on refunds to elderly people illegally charged for nursing home care. This is because under law, spending provision cannot be made for something that is not yet lawful.
The legislation underpinning the refunds is not expected to be passed until next year. Asked to estimate the final bill for the illegal charging, Minister for Finance Brian Cowen said yesterday he didn't know what it would be. He said the Minister for Health, Mary Harney, had pencilled in an indicative figure of €400 million for next year. Meanwhile, Ms Harney said €40 million had been spent on ex-gratia payments in 2005 to those illegally charged.
Gaeltacht
The development of recreational walkways will benefit by a funding increase for the rural development and social schemes.
An 8 per cent increase for island funding in the Estimates will include provision for three pier projects for the Aran Islands, airstrips on Inishbofin, Co Galway, and Tory Island, Co Donegal, and the fixing of a maximum price payable by islands for ferry transport.
Rural tourism "products", including recreational walkways, will be developed in line with the proposed countryside recreational strategy under the increased allocation for the rural development scheme, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Éamon Ó Cuív said.
Plastic bag tax
Money raised through the plastic bag tax will increase by 8 per cent to €13 million in 2006, according to the Estimates.
The money will go on environmental measures such as recycling centres.
Total income for the environment fund, also bolstered by a landfill levy, is set to amount to over €38 million next year.