Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 15 Oct 1992

Vol. 423 No. 6

Written Answers. - Health Expenditure.

Ivor Callely

Question:

84 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health if his budget allocation is on target for 1992; if a budget over-run is expected; the areas, if any, in which this is likely to happen; and the measures he will take to control such an over-run.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Connell)

As the Deputy will be aware, health expenditure is controlled through a process of constant review at Department and agency level.

The Government decided on a series of corrective measures to limit overall public spending during the summer and at that time I met the Chief Executives and Chairmen of Health Boards and Voluntary Hospitals to stress the need to contain spending up to the year end.

The 1992 Health Vote will be added to by way of a Supplementary Estimate, essentially to take account of commitments made by Government to meet increases in certain categories of spending as they fell due during the course of the year. Taking this adjustment into account, I am confident at this stage that agencies will avoid any overrun on approved allocations and can assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to monitor the situation closely.