asked the Minister for Health the financial allocations for each health board area for 1976.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Health Board Allocations.
20.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have it circulated with the Official Report.
The following is the statement:
The 1976 non-capital allocation for each health board is divided between direct expenditure by the board and indirect expenditure through other agencies as follows:—
|
Board |
Direct Expenditure |
Indirect Expenditure |
Gross Total |
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
Eastern |
33.590 |
47.537 |
81.127 |
|
Midland |
12.100 |
4.815 |
16.915 |
|
Mid-Western |
17.890 |
5.019 |
22.909 |
|
North-Eastern |
13.210 |
8.062 |
21.272 |
|
North-Western |
13.580 |
4.167 |
17.747 |
|
Southern |
29.430 |
10.140 |
39.570 |
|
South-Eastern |
19.530 |
7.392 |
26.922 |
|
Western |
25.170 |
6.947 |
32.117 |
|
Totals |
164.500 |
94.079 |
258.579 |
From the information before him, does the Minister consider the allocations adequate to maintain the services at the 1975 levels in each health board area?
I believe economies can be effected in order to live within the figures I have allocated, which are about 13 per cent for each health board.
Is the Minister aware that some health boards have stated that there will be at least a 7 per cent cut-back on 1975 levels in their services?
I am aware that has been asserted but at present discussions are taking place with the various health boards as to how the allocations given by me can be adhered to by them.
Is the Minister stating that there will be no further increased allocation from the Department of Health to ensure that services are kept at least at 1975 levels in each area?
I do not anticipate any Supplementary Estimate in respect of the allocation I have made.
Therefore, the Minister does not intend to keep up to the 1975 levels? The Minister has told us that there is no way he can do that unless he gives more money.
I told the Deputy that officials of the Department are having discussions with the health boards on the allocations made to them.
Does that mean that they will be given an increase in the allocation?
The Minister is going to take the milk from the children.
The Deputy saw that in the newspapers. No decisions have been made in respect of the cuts alleged by somebody on the Fianna Fáil front bench.
I am calling Deputy O'Connell for the next supplementary.
The Minister was answering my question before the Chair interrupted. It is a disgrace that the Minister was not permitted to make his reply. It is grossly unfair.
According to the Estimates there is a 17 per cent increase in grants to health boards.
13 per cent.
According to the Estimates it is a 16.9 per cent increase in the grants to the health boards and, according to the finance officer of the Eastern Health Board, the increase is only 6 or 7 per cent. Would the Minister explain the discrepancy between what is in the Book of Estimates and the information given by the official of the health board?
I can only give the figures which show that the increase is 13 per cent.
In comparison with the two figures for 1975 and 1976 do they relate to the original budget or to the final allocation in regard to the supplementary budget?
They relate to the final one.
Therefore, there has been a 13 per cent increase on the final one. Is it correct to say that there is a variation between the amounts granted to individual health boards? The Eastern Health Board stated that the increase is only of the order of 6 or 7 per cent.
No; there is no wide variation. It could be 12½ per cent or 13 per cent.
Could the Minister explain the statement made by the Eastern Health Board about the increase being between 6 and 7 per cent?
I am not responsible for statements made by health boards.
Does the final allocation take into account increases resulting from the final phase of the 14th wage round?
That has been included.
Will the Minister, or his officials, dictate to the health board officials the cuts to take place in the services in each area?
There will be no question of dictation. There will be consultations to try to ensure that the amount allocated will be adhered to in the expenditure of the health boards in the present year.
Does that mean there will be cut-backs? Who will decide them?
It does not necessarily mean that there will be cut-backs. That is the type of propaganda we have come to expect from the Deputy.
That was the Minister's statement.
We have been told by Deputies from the Fianna Fáil side that there could be economies.
The Minister is looking for the loaves and the fishes.
We have given more money to health boards than Fianna Fáil ever did. We are giving twice as much.
The Minister is taking the milk from the kids; big daddy.
The Fianna Fáil side are shaping up well for the Ard-Fheis.
We can write our own scripts for the Ard-Fheis.
The Fianna Fáil side have been using their scripts long enough to know them by now.