Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The presentation Mr. Moloney is giving here is not the presentation the Department of Health and the head of the HSE has given the Joint Committee on Health. They were crystal clear and could not be clearer that they are sticking to their guns on this issue and saying that the deficit is €1.5 billion and that two thirds of this is recurring. They are not looking for one-offs; they are saying this demand will stay here. A bit of the demand might relate to Covid and all the rest but two thirds is here to stay. It relates to inflation and demand and, if the Department decides to make the Department of Health and HSE come in on budget, it will have dire consequences for health and safety.

That brings me to my next point. The chief executive officer of the HSE has also been very clear. He is going to present a service plan with a built-in deficit, which is unheard of, because of the decisions the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, took and presented to Government. In the view of the Department that oversees public expenditure and reform, is that acceptable?