Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 197: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the amount of the health budget which has been allocated to the running of hospitals for each year since 1995 to date in 2006; and the measures which are in place to ensure that these moneys are efficiently used. [14700/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The following table outlines expenditure under the general hospital programme for the years 1996 to 2003 inclusive, as published in the Revised Estimates Volumes 1997 to 2004, under the former health board structure. Figures for 2004-06, inclusive, have been sourced from the Revised Estimates Volumes 2005 and 2006 and show the totals for the National Hospitals Office, as recorded under the Health Service Executive's Vote.

In accordance with the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive must submit a national service plan to me for approval each year. The service plan must include reference to the type and volume of services to be provided in the year. It is imperative that the service plan is compiled with due regard to services being delivered in line with the funding provided in the published Estimates volume. Approval of the service plan is subject to, among other matters, compliance with policies regarding service delivery with approved levels of funding. In conjunction with the compilation of the service plan is the requirement for the HSE, under the Health Act 2004, to produce an annual report. The 2005 annual report is expected shortly.

In terms of performance review of our acute hospital sector, some 37 hospitals participate in the Casemix system. It accounts for 1.7 million patients, excluding outpatients, and almost €3.5 billion of costs. It is widely agreed that the most developed system for assessing comparative efficiency, creating incentives within the acute hospital sector and encouraging good performance is Casemix.

Ireland was the second country in Europe to adopt Casemix which has been used here as part of the acute hospital annual budgeting process since 1993. The programme is expanded incrementally each year. Within the next 18 months, for the 2008 financial allocations, using 2006 cost and activity data, 50% of the budget related to direct patient care, in Casemix hospitals, will be peer group performance related.