Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021
2032. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding allocated from March 2020 to date for the National Pandemic Management Strategy; if a breakdown of the areas to which the funding was allocated will be provided in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19633/21]
View answerCOVID-19 Funding 2020
The budget allocation for spending on COVID-19 measures by the Department of Health through the HSE in 2020 was €2,511m (comprising €2,291m current and €220m capital).
The HSE’s current allocation for COVID-19 measures in 2020 of €2,291m included: €920m for personal protective equipment; €330m for private hospital capacity; €292m for COVID-19 testing & contact tracing; €190m for acute hospitals; €140m for GP services; €80m for the Temporary Payment Assistance Scheme for private nursing homes; €76m for payment of student nurses and medical interns; €45m for accommodation and isolation facilities; and €218m for other measures including community costs, disability services, hospices, the National Ambulance Service and other miscellaneous supports.
The HSE’s capital allocation for COVID-19 measures in 2020 of €220m included: €125m for buildings and related equipment; €45m for other equipment; €32m for ventilators and €18m for ICT.
Further details of the HSE’s 2020 allocation are available in the final Letter of Determination for 2020, issued to the HSE on 29/12/2020.
COVID-19 Funding 2021
The budget allocation for spending on COVID-19 measures by the Department of Health through the HSE in 2021 is €1,831m (comprising €1,676m current and €155m capital). In addition to this allocation, a contingency fund of €240m held by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is available to be re-allocated to the HSE for COVID-related measures if required, bringing the total funding available to the HSE in 2021 to €2,071m. A further amount of €50m has been allocated to the Department of Health for non-HSE related COVID expenditure in 2021, bringing the total allocation for all COVID-related measures in 2021 to €2,121m.
The HSE’s current allocation for COVID-19 measures in 2021 of €1,676m includes: €450m for personal protective equipment; €200m for the COVID vaccination programme; €445m for testing & contact tracing (excluding €205m available from DPER contingency if required); €210m for the Access to Care Fund; €42m for the Temporary Payment Assistance Scheme for private nursing homes; and €329m for other measures including home care, mental health supports, disability services, cancer restoration services, homelessness services, GP costs, hospices and infection prevention & control.
The HSE’s capital allocation for COVID-19 measures in 2021 of €155m includes: €130m for building, equipping and furnishing of health facilities; and €25m for ICT.
Further details of the HSE’s 2021 allocation are set out in the revised Letter of Determination for 2021, issued to the HSE on 04/01/2021.
The non-HSE related allocation for COVID-19 measures of €50m held by the Department in 2021 includes: €30m for the National Treatment Purchase Fund; €10m for costs related to the ePassenger Locator Form; €5.0m for the Healthy Ireland programme; and €5.0m for HIQA’s Nursing Home Expert Review in relation to the COVID-19 response.
