Written answer
Departmental Expenditure
The Minister said the €446 million cross-government levy will apply to his Department’s 2027 current expenditure, with its precise amount still under consideration.
4041. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to confirm both in percentage and in clear monetary terms the value of the ‘levy’ on his Department's expenditure, that was required to be communicated to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation on or before the deadline of 17 July 2026, (details supplied) and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60667/26]
Comment on this
As approved by Government, a levy of €446 million is being applied across all Departments from 2027 to support the delivery of expenditure ceilings. The distribution of the levy across Departments was designed to protect certain areas of expenditure across Government. The levy applying to my Department is calculated by reference to the Revised Estimates Volume 2026 current expenditure allocations and is being applied to current expenditure baseline for Budget 2027.
As part of the Estimates 2027 process, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation on the expenditure levy including to set out the ambitious reform agenda being progressed across the sector.
The issues raised by the Deputy are being considered as part of the wider Estimates and budgetary process. Decisions arising from that process will be reflected through the normal Government Estimates and Budget procedures. Throughout this engagement, the Department's focus remains on supporting high-quality services, delivering value for money, and advancing the Government's ambitions for further and higher education, research, innovation and science.