Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In response to Deputy Durkan's question, it is always a struggle for health to come in on budget, no matter what increase is given in any year and whether it is big or small. That is especially so in the acute hospitals. It is much less the case in community care or the primary care reimbursement service, PCRS, which generally come in close to budget. There are areas that are simply not under the control of the HSE or Department of Health and cannot be predicted, such as pension costs - we never know for sure how many people will retire - and the State Claims Agency, which is subject to court judgments.

Deputy Cian O'Callaghan raised the delay in opening an autism unit in Kilmore. I do not know the reason for the delay but we will do all we can to ensure it opens as soon as possible. I will make sure my office takes it up with the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan. I will ask her to come back to the Deputy directly.

Deputy Michael Moynihan raised the issue of respite. An additional €10 million has been allocated for new respite services in 2024. I think the capital assistance scheme is operated by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. I will have to double-check that and revert to the Deputy.

The issue of people waiting far too long for assessments of need is quite fraught. Much of it is linked to court judgments in which it was ruled that an assessment of need should be a long process. I think it is approximately 30 hours. Sadly, as a consequence, many resources are going into assessments of need rather than treatments and therapies. That is a real problem and we will have to deal with it. The idea of allowing people to get a private assessment reimbursed is under consideration. The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, are keen to do a pilot of that next year and I support them in their efforts. We need to make sure it will be done correctly, that there is capacity and that there are terms, conditions and standards that can be applied.

Deputy Ó Murchú mentioned the recruitment moratorium. It is important to put on the record of the House that it is a partial recruitment moratorium. It only applies until the end of the year and only where the HSE has already recruited the number of people for which it has funding at a particular grade. Unfortunately, in some cases, it has over-recruited. It has recruited people for whom it does not have funding and that has, in many ways, led to the problem. The HSE will be able to increase its total headcount by 2,000 next year. Far from there being a reduction in staff working in the health service next year, the HSE will be allowed to hire an additional 2,000 staff, on top of the 23,000 hired since this Government came into office. We need to make sure it hires the correct 2,000 and not simply any 2,000. We will be engaging with the CEO of the HSE and his team about that.

The carer's means test has been relaxed in the budget for 2024. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, will set that out in the social welfare Bill.

In response to Deputy Murphy's question, we will work with the CEO of the HSE and his team to put together a credible service plan between now and the end of the year. It will involve a supplementary budget for this year, as everyone is aware. I recall that the CEO, Bernard Gloster, said that the emergency department plan has been funded and there are 120 fewer patients waiting for a bed today than was the case this time last year. The additional beds, including intensive care unit, ICU, beds have all been funded, as has the waiting list plan.

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