Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Kelleher for his question.

In order to respond to increasing demand for hospital services, budget 2017 provides an additional €118 million for hospital services in 2017. Of this funding, €109 million will be used to maintain our existing level of service to take into account the costs associated with our aging demographics, meeting increased demand for medicines, medical technology, and new procedures in hospitals. We would be criticised if we did not take these matters into account.

This funding will also provide for the costs associated with the restoration of payments to staff under the Landsdowne Road Agreement. Therefore it is €118 million extra for hospitals in 2017 with the bulk of that allocation going to dealing with demographics, medical technology, procedures and the Lansdowne Road restoration payments for staff doing important front-line jobs in our health service. As a part of that €118 million, €9 million has been allocated to expand existing or develop new acute hospital services this year. In order to increase capacity in our acute hospitals, €1.4 million of that has been allocated to open a new emergency department in University Hospital Limerick, and a further €1 million has been allocated to the opening of a new 75-bed ward block in University Hospital Galway.

The setting of budgets for individual hospitals and hospital groups, including the allocation of the remaining €6.6 million of new development funding, is currently being finalised by the HSE as part of the development of hospital group operational plans. New developments to be funded from the €6.6 million include additional ICU and HDU beds at Cork University Hospital, cardiology services at Waterford University Hospital, phase 2 of a new AMAU for Portlaoise Hospital, implementation of the new cancer strategy, which we should hopefully publish later this month, and implementation of the all-island paediatric cardiology service.

My Department is currently engaging with the HSE with respect to finalising the funding allocations associated with these new developments. The 2017 HSE national service plan outlines the HSE's need during 2017 to continue to pursue increased efficiency, value for money and budgetary control in delivering safe and effective healthcare services within its budget allocation. The HSE's decision not to appeal the 2015 Employment Appeals Tribunal ruling on consultant contracts will not impact on new development funding. The Employment Appeals Tribunal award will be met from existing resources and finance allocations. My colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, has set out the broader context for that.

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