Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----the position since the Health Service Executive was set up. Each year the Minister would approve a budget and he or she would refer it to the HSE, which would then prepare a health service plan. That would come back to the Minister for approval and be sent back to the HSE for implementation. In many cases, as the Deputy is aware, the plan was never followed, either because something else happened or money was not ring-fenced for particular areas, such as mental health. That was pointed out on many occasions.

This resulted in a very unsatisfactory position. Of course, it is always difficult with demand-led services where a population is growing at the more senior level and where there is a greater demand for health services. Next year, as Deputy Martin is aware, we are out of the preventive arm of the Stability and Growth Pact. There will no longer be an opportunity to have Supplementary Estimates. If money falls short in any Department, it will have to be made up either from savings in another Department or within the Department itself. That is a very changed situation. In respect of the allocations made in the Supplementary Estimates going into each Department, obviously the growth in the economy has been very strong. Many of these were commitments in any event, and for 2016, Ministers were able to stay within the terms set out in the spring statement. Having said that, there are still clearly pressures and demands in many Departments and it has not been possible for Government to meet all the demands. So-----

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