Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is focusing on health expenditure and I have indicated to her that I took the opportunity to talk to the expert panel with the OECD on health expenditure generally within OECD countries. Health expenditure is a pressure point everywhere and there is no simple solution anywhere. It amounts to some degree of rationing, either through an insurance or public health model and will be a difficult nut to crack in the future. The notion that we can accurately determine at the beginning of a year exactly what the health pressures will be, what pressure will be on hospitals, what drug refunds will be made or what new drugs will come on stream to meet demand is not facing reality.

On the question regarding the effect of the new European semester on budgeting, I indicated previously that we will be able to increase expenditure in line with projected growth increases. The exact modality of that is a matter of discussion between the Commission and the Department of Finance currently. I am confident we will be able to meet all the social pressures we can afford to meet within the moneys we can generate in this country without impediment from the European Commission.

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