Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The HSE prepares that plan. The letter is from four CEOs and sets out their position. This year's budget is for a 3% increase for hospitals. Both Tallaght hospital and the Mater hospital received increases as a result of the rebalancing of budgets this year and not based on historic spends that, as the Deputy knows, were always boosted up in the last months to make a case for the following year. These were based on projected expenditure. The answer to Deputy McDonald's question about whether I have confidence in the Minister is "Yes."

On her second question about cancer, the CEO of Crumlin hospital has confirmed there are no extraordinary delays for children in accessing cancer services. He said there may be a delay of one or two days in some particular cases rather than immediate access to chemotherapy. As I said to Deputy Martin, the first part of the last paragraph, which sets out the chief executives' position, seeks constructive engagement with hospitals in the budgetary formulation process. That will happen in the preparation of the HSE plan to be presented to the Minister for Health on 15 November.

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