David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our witnesses. There are two big issues that are the backdrop to the health service this year and next year. The first is funding. We had some discussions of that issue at the last couple of committee meetings at which Mr. Gloster has been present. The Secretary General of the Department was also present at the most recent meeting. The second issue is the recruitment pause or embargo, or whatever one wants to call it, and the impact that will have.

I will start with the budget for this year. We are coming towards the end of the year. Yesterday, the Government published the Supplementary Estimates. It is just shy of €1 billion for health, which is by far the biggest of any of the Departments. The last time Mr. Gloster was before the committee, he said the anticipated deficit for this year would be approximately €1.5 billion. He made a distinction between what he said was the cash deficit at the end of the year, which will possibly be up to €1.1 billion. However, if accruals are taken into account as well as money that is owed but might not be paid until the first quarter next year, that figure will be €1.5 billion.