Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 13 May 2003

Vol. 566 No. 3

Written Answers. - Departmental Budget.

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

341 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children the total budget for his Department in the 2003 Estimates; the moneys allocated for administration within his Department; the moneys allocated for administration within the health boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12733/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The gross estimate for my Department in 2003 is €9,158.524 million, as published in the Revised Estimates Volume in February of this year, of which capital is €514.384 million and current €8,644.140 million. The administrative budget for the Department is €38.140 million for the same period, broken down as follows:

	Current	Capital	Total
	€m	€m	€m
Salaries, wages and allowances	26.688	–	26.688
Travel and subsistence	0.914	–	0.914
Incidental expenses	1.157	–	1.157
Postal and telecommunications services	0.698	–	0.698
Office machinery and other office supplies	6.017	0.411	6.428
Office premises expenses	1.090	–	1.090
Consultancy services	1.165	–	1.165
Total	37.729	0.411	38.140

There is no specific allocation made for the cost of administration to each health board. As set out in the 1996 accountability legislation, the boards and the ERHA receive a net determination each year, and the development of service plans and management of expenditure is a matter for the boards-authority.

However, as a guideline the cost of administration across the boards-authority is typically between 4% and 5% of overall payroll costs. This covers both frontline administrative staff, such as hospital consultants' secretaries, ward clerks and community services clerks, and other management-administrative staff such as those who work on accounts, payroll, personnel and so on.