David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will read out what we have been given. It frustrates me that when we ask for an updated note I have to read it out. It states that the Department understands that the €7 million reported by the HSE against access to care with the HSE Covid expenditure, as detailed, is not the full spend against the €200 million allocation made under this subhead to the HSE. The total expenditure by the HSE on waiting list initiatives, it continues, is projected to be approximately €113 million, with the balance of expenditure charged against core acute expenditure. I know there is perhaps other money spent from elsewhere, but in terms of the actual access to care fund and the €200 million, it states here in black and white that the expenditure incurred will be €130 million. The Minister is giving me a different figure again. Perhaps the Minister’s official will shed more light on the issue because it gets more confusing as time goes on.