Vol. 412 No. 2
108 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the basis on which moneys voted for allocation to the health boards is released from the Exchequer; if he will further outline whether any action has been taken in recent years to slow down the rate of payment to the health board; and his views on whether the cash flow available from departmental funds is of a satisfactory nature in order to avoid unnecessary use of overdraft facilities by the health board.
Cash is issued by my Department to each of the health boards each week in line with cash profiles which are agreed at the beginning of the year. Those profiles are based on cash figures determined by the Department in accordance with the boards' approved expenditure levels. There has been no change in this method of payment to the boards in recent years. I am satisfied that the levels of cash notified to health boards at the beginning of the year, together with the approved bank overdraft levels are sufficient to enable the boards to operate within the limits of the approved allocation. In addition, the boards have been given additional cash to cover approved increases, including pay, increases in rates of allowances and certain service-related items.
The cash available to my Department is directly related to the approved level of expenditure for health boards. As the Deputy is aware, expenditure under health boards must be held in line with approved level of allocation.
