Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Department of Health requested €2 billion in order to meet the standstill costs for 2024. The head of the HSE, Mr. Bernard Gloster, wrote to the Minister for Health outlining his concerns before the budget. He said there would be significant and punitive risk to the public and that it was imperative that the Government should be in no doubt as to the position. This was in respect of the Government's decision to provide €708 million for existing levels of service, ELS, and €100 million for what are called "new measures". Was this letter shared with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery, and Reform? When was this letter, and its concerns, shared with the Minister? What is the justification used by the Minister and the Government as a whole for dismissing the concerns of the head of the HSE? When the HSE is forced to run hundreds of million, if not billions, in deficit, it is forced into a situation whereby it cannot properly plan or prepare.

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