Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Nearly every single year a Supplementary Estimate is required for the health budget. I raised this yesterday with the Minister for Finance and for Public Expenditure and Reform in respect of the reasons for it and Mr. Connaghan has outlined some of them. The answer I received is that he is currently assessing with the Minister for Health and the Department the reasons for such underfunding of the service. It seems to be a continual process when it comes to health. We give a budget but it is never enough. We always come back for a Supplementary Estimate. We keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Will Mr. Breslin or Mr. Connaghan talk me through the process of negotiation with the Department? How does the planning process work in terms of next year's budget?