Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1978 > Committee of Public Accounts > Interim and Final Report - Appropriation Accounts 1975

APPENDIX 6

AGRICULTURE—SALARIES, WAGES AND ALLOWANCES

The Clerk,

Committee of Public Accounts.

With reference to the proceedings of the Committee of Public Accounts at their meeting on 2 March, I enclose, as requested by the Committee, a note explaining the variation in expenditure under Subhead A.1—Salaries, Wages and Allowances, of the Vote for Agriculture for 1975.

JAMES J. O’MAHONY,

Accounting Officer,

Department of Agriculture.

16 March, 1978.

Vote Agriculture, 1975—Subhead A.1—Salaries, Wages and Allowances

The main factors contributing to the excess of £184,297.08 were:—

(1) Increase in staff numbers. The original estimate was based on a staff complement of 3,396. By the end of the year the total had risen to 3,931, an increase of 535.

(2) Implementation of National Pay Agreement:—

There were four separate increases during the year which had not been provided for in the original estimate.

(3) Retrospective adjustment of certain allowances paid for extra duties, e.g. by agricultural officers at meat factories.

The reason why no explanation of the variation was given in the Appropriation Account was that the excess represented less than 2% of the provision. This was below the general norm calling for explanation.