Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for Health if he has received a request from the Health Service Executive for additional financial resources to address the overcrowding problem at our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28995/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The HSE National Service Plan 2011 which was approved in December 2010 requires the HSE to operate within the limits of its voted allocation of €13.456 billion. This represents a net reduction of €683m on the 2010 provision. The Service Plan also commits the HSE to delivering service levels for 2011 which are broadly in line with 2010 levels. All hospitals are required to operate within their allocated budgets and to meet the service level activity targets that the hospital has agreed for 2011.

I recognise that the management of funding allocations by public hospitals poses a serious budgetary challenge. It is clear that if existing spending trends remain unchecked there will be a significant overrun at the end of this year. I have made it clear that such an overrun is not acceptable given the state of the public finances and this country's obligations under the Memorandum of Understanding with the IMF and EU. I am in ongoing contact with the HSE to ensure that all necessary steps are being taken to avoid any budgetary overruns while at the same ensuring the maintenance of services in line with the commitments given by the HSE and public hospitals.

I am on record as saying that every individual agency must take responsibility and do everything possible to stay within budget while delivering their planned level of service. Under its reform programme the Government has committed to achieving greater efficiencies in patient care and service delivery. These efficiencies will not be easy to achieve but I am certain that over time they will help to ensure that more people get access to services within a given quantum of funding. In this regard it is important that the management capacity in our public hospitals is sufficiently robust to meet these challenges. The Deputy will also be aware that it is the role of the Special Delivery Unit, which I recently established, to address issues around the better and more efficient delivery of health services. The work of the SDU will contribute significantly to improving outcomes for patients and to greater efficiencies in the system to avoid any budgetary overruns while at the same endeavouring to ensure the maintenance of services in line with the commitments given by the HSE and public hospitals.