Latest news with #expenditure
BreakingNews.ie
30-05-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Over 528,000 foreign visitors came to Ireland in April 2025, down by 4%
A total of 528,100 foreign visitors completed a trip to Ireland in April 2025, down 4 per cent compared with April 2024, and up 14 per cent compared with April 2023. The visitors spent €375 million on their trips (excluding fares), down 10 per cent compared with April 2024, and up 1 per cent compared with April 2023. Advertisement The largest contingent of visitors came from Great Britain (41 per cent), followed by visitors from the United States (18 per cent). The most frequent reason for travelling to Ireland was for holiday (40 per cent). Visitors stayed a total of 3.4 million nights in the country, a drop of 1 per cent when compared with April 2024, and down 6 per cent when compared with April 2023. The average length of stay for foreign resident overnight visitors was 6.5 nights, up from an average of 6.4 nights in April 2024, and down from 7.9 nights in April 2023. Advertisement Commenting on the release, Gregg Patrick, statistician in the tourism and travel Division, said: 'The results show that 528,100 foreign visitors departed Ireland on overseas routes in April 2025, a decrease of 4 per cent compared with April 2024 and an increase of 14 per cent compared with April 2023. Visitors' expenditure in Ireland (excluding fares) was €375 million. Visitors from Great Britain accounted for €96 million (26 per cent) of this spend, Continental Europe for €134 million (36 per cent), North America for €121 million (32 per cent), and visitors from the rest of the world for €25 million (7 per cent). Taken together, this represented a fall of 10 per cent compared with April 2024, and a rise of 1 per cent compared with April 2023. Advertisement The visitors most frequent reason for their journey was for holiday or leisure (40 per cent). Their second most frequent reason was to visit friends or relatives (38 per cent). Ireland Gerry Adams awarded €100,000 in damages after winn... Read More More of the visitors stayed with family or in their own property (42 per cent) than in any other accommodation type, and the typical visit lasted 6.5 nights.' Speaking about the figures, Eoghan O'Mara Walsh, chief executive of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, said: 'Industry use a variety of data sources, both their own and independently collated, and April was a strong month compared to the same month last year. "Industry record bums on seats and heads on pillows as opposed to the CSO sample survey – there remains a misalignment of sorts between the two data sources but it is narrowing and this is welcome'.
Zawya
22-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa to cut spending if tax agency doesn't meet target
South Africa's government will have to cut expenditure substantially if the South African Revenue Service (SARS) does not meet its revenue target, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana told Reuters on Thursday. Godongwana made only minor adjustments to the government's spending plans and deficit projections in a third budget presented on Wednesday after his two previous attempts were scuppered by disagreements within the ruling coalition. Speaking to Reuters in an online interview, Godongwana said the government did not expect a challenge on its spending plans barring any unexpected shocks but warned that there was a bigger downside risk on the revenue side. "If SARS raises what we think it will, there will be no need for that revenue measure (a proposed tax increase next year). If not, we will have to cut expenditure substantially," he said. (Reporting by Colleen Goko; Writing by Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Alexander Winning)
The Herald
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald
Godongwana's third budget trims spending on social services and education
He said that as soon as the division of revenue bill is passed by both houses of parliament, the money goes to the provinces. On whether there would be a fallout due to the scaled-back expenditure figures, the minister acknowledged that some state priorities could come under pressure. In the latest budget overview, Godongwana said spending adjustments were limited to a few departments, and the social wage remained at 61% of consolidated non-interest spending over the 2025 medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF). 'Total consolidated spending is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 5.4%, from R2.4 trillion in 2024/25 to R2.81 trillion in 2027/28. Economic development is the fastest-growing function over the MTEF period, with an average growth rate of 8.2%.' The overview said total functional allocations amounted to R6.69 trillion over the MTEF, with proposed additional spending to be reduced from R232.6bn to R180.1bn over the MTEF to align it with revenue proposals while protecting front-line services. The total social services spending programme went from R1.52 trillion in the February budget to R1.50 trillion in the version tabled on Wednesday. Importantly, these are rand and cents expenditure estimates where inflation is not taken into account. Expenditure targeted towards learning and culture went from R508.7bn in February to R505.6bn. Basic education bore the brunt of cuts in the category, going from R332.3bn in February to R329.2bn. Spending on the remaining items under learning and culture stayed the same, in terms of rand and cents. In health, expenditure went from R298.9bn to R296.1bn, with district health services going from R131.1bn to R130.9bn, central hospital services going from R58.3bn to R57.8bn, provincial hospital services going from R49bn to R48.5bn, and other health services going from R47.5bn to R47.1bn. Only facilities and management maintenance in this category stayed at R11.9bn. In the community development category, expenditure decreased from R286.6bn in the February budget to R280.4bn. While the municipal equitable share stayed the same at R106.1bn and human settlement water and electrification stayed at R58bn, public transport declined from R67.7bn to R63.8bn, and 'other human settlements municipal infrastructure' was reduced from R54.8bn to R52.6bn. Social development spending goes down from R427bn to R420.1bn. This sees old-age grant spending go from R118.8bn to R117.4bn, while child support grant spending goes from R93.5bn to R90.4bn. Social security funds and provincial social development spending remain unchanged at R99.5bn and R23.3bn. Spending on 'other grants' goes from R77.1bn to R77bn. The total public services expenditure goes from R78.7bn to R80.7bn. These reductions essentially mean that the minister is reversing the provisions that he announced in the March budget. Public administration and fiscal affairs are the sole beneficiaries of this bump in expenditure, with expenditure to increase from R51.7bn to R53.7bn. Peace and security go from R267.6bn to R263.2bn, with defence and state security going from R60.8bn to R59.7bn. Law courts and prisons go from R58.1bn to R57.2bn, while expenditure on home affairs goes from R15.4bn to R12.9bn. Spending on the economic development front remains at R289.8bn, with spending on economic regulation, infrastructure, industrialisation, exports, agriculture, job creation and innovation all staying the same. Debt service costs rise from R424.2bn in the February budget to R426.3bn, while the contingency reserve goes from R8bn to R5bn. — TimesLIVE
CTV News
16-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Canada's MPs spent record-breaking $188M in 2024
An expenditure record revealed members of Parliament's spending in 2024 increased $12.7 million over 2023 to $187.8 million.
