Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the members. However, due to other commitments some of the members could not remain.

I have some questions and comments. I begin by thanking Mr. Desmond for coming before us and showing respect for the work of our committee unlike the officials from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

In October 2018, the Government announced a new budget oversight group to be established which will include officials from the aforementioned Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, who think therefore they should not come before our committee, which is interesting because they will be involved in the budget oversight group, as well as the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive. The purpose of the new body is to monitor and control health spending and staffing within budget allocation.

I wish to put a number of points to Mr. Desmond, which tie directly into the 2018 national service plan. There was a financial challenge of €347 million at the beginning of 2018. How much of the savings were achieved to address the financial challenge and to what extent is the Supplementary Estimate for 2018 a result of not meeting that financial challenge? Mr. Desmond mentioned the work plan for 2019; will there be a financial challenge in 2019? If there is, and allowing for the historic inability to meet that challenge over many years, is the Department effectively conceding that any mention of a financial challenge in that 2019 plan is effectively the announcement of what will crystallise as a Supplementary Estimate for 2019?