Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

The health levy goes to fund the public health system, a total of approximately €2.1 billion in 2010 with a shortfall of €400 million because of the level of unemployment. We recently moved a Supplementary Estimate to provide for this. Instead of this being an appropriation-in-aid from the Revenue and the Department of Social Protection, it will go into the central Exchequer and will be re-diverted back. This means an element will go to fund the health system but PRSI is not being included. The Minister said last year that he intended to include PRSI but it became very complicated to do this in one year so it is not being done at the moment.

In reply to Deputy Naughten, it is not-----

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