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

Deputy Howlin will be aware, as much as I am, of the challenges of ensuring that health expenditure is on line for the entire year. While the performance in the early part of the year was very positive, we have to focus on what drove that change in a single month. That is what the Minister for Health and I are now doing.

In the context of the public pay issue to which the Deputy also referred, the Taoiseach has already outlined the work we are seeking to do in order to respond to this issue. However, I make the point that this is in the context of multiple claims the Government is facing from many different unions. This issue has to be considered in that context.

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