Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

It has obtained efficiencies totalling €280 million during this year, which will be repeated next year. The figures being spoken about in the public debate this morning are not those of the HSE.

As Deputy Kenny observed, the HSE has set out a public service plan to support its goals, which are to maintain services to patients and clients in both hospitals and community settings in a manner that is fully consistent with patient safety and best practice. It is to expand certain services, particularly in respect of cancer and therapies for children with disabilities, to which additional funds of €15 million and €10 million, respectively, have been allocated, as well as an additional €120 million in other areas. Moreover, it is to support the reorganisation of services and the management of costs in such a way that services will be maintained and expanded. Furthermore, it is to work with the social partners in the health sector to achieve the objective of maintaining services to the public with a much tighter budget and to manage closely the significant risks of cost increases arising from the need to provide medical cards and other services as a result of the economic downturn.

The HSE service plan has been prepared and approved by the Minister on that basis. It refers to the budget of €14.7 billion that will be paid for health services next year, which constitutes an increase of 3.2% over this year's budget. Her approval and the finalised plan take account of all recent developments, including the budgetary position, the deterioration in the economy and the need to manage risks. In her letter approving the plan, the Minister also has set some specific and challenging requirements for the HSE.

This is a challenging and much-improved service plan, which sets out clearly the links between the services planned, the budget for those services and the staff needed. It is a plan that will require more than ever the active involvement of staff at all levels to make the changes necessary to deliver it. The goals desired by the Government across all areas only can be achieved with real co-operative engagement of management and staff from the outset of the year, drawing on the commitment of all to patients first and foremost. The HSE's management is engaged with staff representatives on these issues. I believe this is the best way to proceed and is the basis on which the plan was set up.

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