Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 February 2018
97. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the way in which section 10(b) of the Health Service Executive (Financial Matters) Act 2014 is being honoured in the health budget for 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6430/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 10 (b) of the Health Service Executive (Financial Matters) Act 2014 states “(3) (a) If the amount of net expenditure incurred by the Executive in a financial year is greater than the amount determined by the Minister for that year, the Executive shall charge the amount of such excess to its income and expenditure account for the next financial year and (b) If the amount of net expenditure incurred by the Executive in a financial year is less than the amount determined by the Minister for that year, the Executive shall, subject to the approval of the Minister given with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, credit the amount of such surplus to its income and expenditure account for the next financial year”.
It is important to note that the sum of a deficit or surplus as it arises, will not translate in full into a charge or credit on the Annual Financial Statements of the HSE, as any overrun or underspend in the voluntary sector is not subject to a first charge in the HSE accounts. In the context of reaching an agreement in relation to the National Service Plan, and cognisant of the fact that the real deficit will not be known until after the Annual Financial Statement's have been produced/audited, it is proposed that the first charge will not be applied at this stage and will be revisited when the figure is finalised.
