I propose to take Questions Nos. 579 and 580 together.
The process for allocating funding for current expenditure processes currently operates as an annual budget cycle with the current expenditure allocations for each Government Department being confirmed for the following year at Estimates time in October each year. The detailed allocations for each Vote across Government are then published in the annual Revised Estimates Volume in December each year.
Under the Health Act 2004 as amended, the HSE is responsible for the provision of health and personal social services and either provides such services directly or contracts agencies to provide them on its behalf. As the detail in relation to the provision of services relates to operational and service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.