Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The reality is that the expenditure ceilings the Deputy is referring to are both negotiated ceilings and budgetary ceilings. Budgetary ceilings, and the figures we set for 2019 and beyond, are a consequence of Government making decisions regarding where resources need to be allocated, overlaid with the inevitable political negotiation that happens, particularly in late September and early October.

In terms of our adherence to those ceilings, most of the Departments deliver them most of the time. The key issue we have had is in respect of the Department of Health, which has exceeded its expenditure ceiling, in particular this year, by a far larger amount than we experienced last year.

In terms of what we are looking to do differently to manage that issue, I expect we will enter next year with a board, a chief executive and a chairperson for the HSE. That will enable a better degree of budgetary control than we have had this year and, hopefully, a renewed focus on where we are with budgetary targets, given the great difficulties the HSE had to deal with earlier this year.

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