Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services is a matter for the Health Service Executive and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall Vote.
The services and targets to be provided by the HSE in 2008 are set out in the National Service Plan which I approved in November 2007 and the Addendum to the Service Plan which I approved in February 2008. Both of these documents have been laid before the House and published.
The Service Plan includes strategic objectives, cost containment initiatives, value for money and productivity reviews to progress the development and delivery of greater efficiencies in 2008 and beyond.
The HSE projects a potential overspend for the year in the order of €300m in the absence of their taking corrective action. The Board and management of the HSE are actively engaged in the development and implementation of an appropriate package of measures so as to manage within the resources available and deliver the services to which the HSE is committed in the Service Plan. A range of Value for Money initiatives, targeted to deliver significant cost reductions in 2008 have commenced with further initiatives under consideration.
The HSE has confirmed that it is aiming to deliver the Service Plan submitted by the Board last November within its approved Pre-Budget allocation.
My Department has asked the HSE to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy setting out the specifics of the actions taken to date.