Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 October 2021
386. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if it is his Department’s policy that HSE funding committed to persons in healthcare and residential facilities must be accounted for and spent solely on their care in the manner agreed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48802/21]
View answerSubsequent to the budget, the Minister issues a Letter of Determination to the HSE setting out the maximum net expenditure for current and capital that the HSE may incur. The HSE then submit a draft National Service Plan Service Plan, based on the Letter of Determination, to the Minister for approval. Table 3 of the National Service Plan sets out the detail of the budget allocated to individual service areas. Once funding is allocated to a certain service area, it must be accounted for and spent by the HSE solely in the manner set out in the Letter of Determination and the National Service Plan, unless a re-allocation of funding is sanctioned by the Department.
Throughout the year, expenditure by the HSE is continually monitored by the Department through reviews of monthly financial reports and regular dialogue between the Department and its counterparts in the HSE. Officials from the Departments of Health and Public Expenditure and Reform, and the HSE meet at the Health Budget Oversight Group on a monthly basis to review the performance of funding allocated. Many other meetings take place between officials from the Department of Health and both the HSE and DPER during the month to ensure that funding is being spent in accordance with the requirements set out in the Letter of Determination and the National Service Plan.
