Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the question. I must clarify that I needed to make some of those broader points in response to the Deputy's points. There is an onus on me to respond. I note that the HSE manages the health service. Neither I nor the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, manages the health service. That is the HSE's responsibility. Some of the questions Deputy Donnelly is asking would be more appropriately directed to the HSE. It has a quarterly meeting with the Oireachtas committee next week. The Deputy will be able to pursue some of the detail which I do not have in discussions with management. I am discussing headline figures within a €17 billion budget.

The Deputy asked about drugs and gave the figure of €85 million. The actual reimbursements for high-tech drugs during the period from June to October 2019 were higher than expected. This was primarily driven by higher reimbursements for rheumatology, gastroenterology and dermatology drugs. High-tech drugs reimbursements are now forecast at €797.9 million, which is €94.9 million higher than the original 2019 budget.