Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The more people we have working, the less tax people have to pay and the greater the opportunity to invest in services like those mentioned by Deputy Pringle. The 2016 Vote for the Department of Health is €13.165 billion, which represents an increase of €880 million on the 2015 allocation. Deputy Pringle will be aware that the HSE is required to prepare a service plan setting out how it expects to provide health services to people. It is then required to send that plan to the Minister for Health, who has 21 days to respond to the HSE's proposals. Obviously, there are challenges in the health system. That has always been the case. The service plan was submitted to the Minister for Health on 4 December last. The Minister and the Department will assess the HSE plan. The Minister has 21 days to return it with his recommendations for what should happen. The total level of funding available to the HSE for 2016 is just over €13 billion. The priorities within that will be identified by the HSE and confirmed by the Minister, before being sent back to the HSE for implementation. The scope for vast improvements in 2016 is not there. There is scope for modest improvement. A number of service improvements are planned, including the implementation of the national maternity service.

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