Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Government does not do any of that. The budget has not increased by €800 million, because the Supplementary Estimate introduced at the death last year was €660 million. In other words, the Government left the health service short at the start of last year. The increase works out at less than €200 million if one adds it up. The HSE is stating simply that, in summary, when account is taken of the 2015 cost of services, the expected growth in costs and initial cost savings, there is a preliminary shortfall of €150 million. While it will do some cash management exercise to reduce this figure to €100 million, it is stating that it will be €100 million short and that one of the options will be cuts in health services.

The frightening thing about the report is the statement on page 91 that day case activity will be delivered at 100% of 2015 levels, while emergency inpatient activity will be delivered at 100% of 2015 levels.

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