Vol. 554 No. 5
1142 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department has imposed a restriction on the Midland Health Board in relation to the filling of certain additional posts; if so, the posts in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16757/02]
In mid-July last my Department advised each health board of a range of measures to be taken to ensure that health spending in 2002, including adjustments approved by Government, remained consistent with approved expenditure. In this context, the Midland Health Board was requested to achieve savings of €0.55 million from an adjustment in planned employment growth. All of the health boards were informed by my Department that the adjustment in employment growth was to be undertaken in a way so as to have minimum impact on new and existing services. As responsibility for the precise measures to be taken to yield the planned result in both service and cost terms rests with the chief executive officer of each health board, my Department has asked the chief executive officer of the Midland Health Board to supply the information requested by the Deputy to him directly.
