Vol. 574 No. 5
109 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the date by which he expects all action plans under the benchmarking agreements will be agreed and published; and the date by which the performance verification groups must approve progress in relation to these plans in order that the proposed 50% payment due on 1 January 2004 can be made. [25860/03]
112 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health and Children the additional financial allocation which will be made to the health boards in the Estimates for 2004 in order to allow them to meet obligations under the benchmarking process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27574/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 112 together.
The action plan for the health service, which was agreed by the health service national partnership forum, was published on my Department's website and that of the Health Service Employers Agency last September. The action plan was laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas at that time. Under the terms of Sustaining Progress, each sectoral performance verification group is required to make an assessment of progress in modernisation by 1 December 2003, a month in advance of the payment date of 1 January 2004 specified in the agreement. A sum of €188.194 million has been set aside for the payment of the second phase of the public service benchmarking body's pay recommendations to eligible staff in the health sector in 2004, subject to the successful completion of the performance verification process. The above figure includes the effect of general pay increases under Sustaining Progress on the benchmarking awards.
