Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 October 2016
399. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the details of each of the expenditure savings that have been earmarked for his Department in 2017; the value of the saving in each case; the basis on which the value was estimated; and the way it differs from the 2016 mid-year expenditure report. [31543/16]
View answerThe 2017 funding level for the health services announced on Budget Day 2017 relates to expenditure for both my Department and the HSE.
The specific savings measures included within the Budget Day figures relate to drug price reductions associated with the agreement reached with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) earlier this year and the initiatives implemented under the Medicines Management Programme. These savings measures were not included in the 2016 Mid-Year Expenditure Report position for the Health Vote.
In addition, as the 2017 approved level of funding is based on ongoing cost containment and efficiencies being achieved, it is expected that additional savings measures will be identified as part of the 2017 National Service Plan process.
The estimated value of all savings measures built into the 2017 approved level of funding will be identified in the published 2017 National Service Plan.
