Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 July 2017
847. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn by the HSE to the fact that expenditure is above profile; if he has satisfied himself that there will be no overruns on the health budget in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35572/17]
View answer932. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has reported to him that it will be over budget for 2017; if so, the amount; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35771/17]
View answer1115. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the latest profiles in value and outruns forecasted in his Department for the end of December 2017 and any variances that may arise based on his Department’s performance against profile in gross voted expenditure at the end of June 2017 [36569/17]
View answer1159. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health if there will be an underspend in his Department's current or capital budget for 2017; if so, the subheads that are now below profile and those that may come in below profile at the end of the calendar year; if underspends in his Department will be available to the central Exchequer at year end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36748/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 847, 932, 1115 and 1159 together.
Government Departments are required to manage expenditure within the allocations set out in the Estimates for each year, agreed by the Dáil. Any underspend that arises against agreed allocations is surrendered to the Exchequer at the end of the year.
At end June 2017, the Health Vote is €55m under profile in Vote terms. However, this largely reflects profiling issues and the timing of cash disbursements to the HSE in particular. Expenditure on capital construction and equipping is currently under profile due to timing issues on the progress of a number of projects which have not progressed as initially projected. Expenditure is expected to progress steadily as construction begins. My Department does not anticipate any surplus on the Health Vote in 2017.
Whilst the Vote is below profile, a deficit exists in income and expenditure terms in the HSE, with pressures evident in acute hospital and disability services in particular. My Department is engaging with the HSE in relation to the issue, cognisant of the need to minimise any potential deficit.
It is too early, at this stage, to accurately assess any projected overall deficit in 2017. The Department will continue to work with the HSE to ensure that every effort is made to maximise cost containment and cost avoidance measures while delivering on the commitments set out in the NSP 2017 and, as provided in the Health (Amendment) Act, that all expenditure must be managed within the level of the net non-capital determination notified to the HSE.
