asked the Minister for Health if he will name the health boards which have not budgeted for a deficit in the current year; and if he will name the extent of the estimated deficit of the other boards.
Written Answers. - Health Boards Deficits.
160.
As I mentioned in my reply to a question by the Deputy on 19 June 1986 section 31 of the Health Act, 1970, imposes a statutory obligation on each health board to avoid exceeding its approved allocation level.
In the circumstances, therefore, the outturn target for each health board for 1986 must be to achieve a breakeven situation. At this stage of the year it is difficult to assess the financial benefits resulting from measures adopted by health boards towards achieving this objective and consequently it is not possible to estimate with any degree of accuracy the extent of the possible deficit of any board.