Vol. 439 No. 4
151 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he has satisfied himself that the balance of expenditure between the administration of the health services and the actual provision of services themselves is correct; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The estimated non-capital health expenditure on the public health service is £2.2 billion in 1994 of which the estimated cost of administration is approximately £57 million. This represents 2.6 per cent of the total budget, a figure with which I am satisfied. Comparison with other OECD countries suggests that this figure compares favourably and that the balance of expenditure on administration is not out of line in Ireland. We are continuing our initiatives to achieve optimal value for money in this area.
