In 2007, total health funding is €14.6 billion, which represents an underlying increase of 8.6% in revenue spending over 2006. The vast bulk of this funding is provided under the vote of the Health Service Executive which has statutory responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services. This continuing high level of investment by the Government provides the Executive with considerable capacity to address the healthcare needs of the population in the most effective manner.
Funding for all health services has been provided as part of the Executive's overall vote for health and personal social services in 2007. The case raised by the Deputy is a matter for the Executive to be determined within the overall priorities for particular services set out by me in the Budget. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.