asked the Minister for Health the present position in regard to the estimated deficit in each health board for the current year.
Written Answers. - Health Boards' Deficits.
506.
Health boards have been repeatedly informed that no extra Exchequer funds can be provided to meet expenditure in excess of approved levels in the current year. Accordingly, the boards introduced a range of measures in the course of the year which were aimed at containing expenditure within approved budgetary limits. These measures will, in general, be maintained and intensified in the remaining period of the year with the objective of eliminating or minimising any prospective overruns.
It is not possible at this stage to predict with any degree of certainty the extent to which health boards will succeed in containing expenditure within approved limits. I will shortly be discussing this situation and the outlook for 1985 with the chairmen and chief executive officers of the boards.