asked the Minister for Health the amount, in real terms, by which the health boards' estimates have been reduced from the amount sought by the various health boards.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Health Boards' Estimates.
51.
I am not quite sure precisely what the Deputy has in mind in this question. The following is the position in relation to the health boards' estimates.
Estimates submitted to the health boards for the year 1973-74 totalled £114.148 million. The total figure approved by my Department was £105.556 million. This decision was, in substance, approved by my predecessor. The latter figure, while it did not meet the health boards' submitted estimates, does represent an increase of £11.702 million over last year's estimated expenditure by the boards.
I should add that, despite statements which have been made to the contrary, the allocation to each health board is more than sufficient to meet the cost of all on-going services and of all expansions already approved. There is no question whatever of any cutback in services. I would further add that an allocation in the region of 4 per cent of the total budget has been made available to meet the cost of new developments, including additional staff appointments.
As the Deputy is aware, apart from the amounts mentioned above, a further £1 million approximately is to be made available in the current year, details of which were announced in my speech during the budget debate.
Let me say in conclusion that total health expenditure in the current year, with certain additions which will require to be made later to meet the cost of special allowances for nurses and the budgetary provision for welfare and community services, will increase by approximately £16 million over the 1972-73 figure and that the percentage of total health expenditure met by the State will rise from 61 per cent to 75 per cent between 1972-73 and 1973-74.
52.
asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the fact that the estimates for the eight health boards have been reduced by £8.5 million, the Government have cut the rates element of these estimates by 25 per cent.
The Deputy appears to think that there is a link between the reduction made by the Department in the estimates presented to the health boards, i.e. £8.592 million and the reduction in the contributions to be made by the rating authorities in 1973-74 from £36 million to £27 million, i.e. about £9 million. This is a mere coincidence but seems to be misleading a number of Deputies. The fact of the matter is that while the rates contribution is reduced by £9 million the over-all Exchequer contribution is up by £25 million made up of £16 million to meet increased cost of health services and £9 million in relief of the rates. The figure of £8.592 million in respect of "reductions" does not come into the picture at all in relation to the rates.