More than €18 million of Ireland’s 2023 defence budget was left unspent and returned to the exchequer, according to a report by the State’s auditor. The unspent funds were largely the result of significant underspending on pay within the defence sector.
While the pay underspend was the most dramatic, there were overspends in other areas such as overseas deployments, equipment purchases, and IT systems, which only partially offset the overall budget surplus.
The underspend raises questions about the efficiency and allocation of resources within Ireland’s Defence Forces, particularly when it comes to staffing. Concerns about recruitment and retention within the Defence Forces have been highlighted in recent years, and the surplus in the pay budget may be linked to ongoing personnel shortages.
The returned funds, while helping to balance the books, may reignite debate about the need for increased investment in defence, especially in light of evolving global security concerns.
According to The News Examiner, this unspent money will now be redirected for use in other government departments or future budgets.