James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the estimate provided by the Health Service Executive, as part of the 2008 estimates process, to her Department and the Department of Finance, of the of the cost of delivering the existing level of service in 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11666/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) submits to the Minister for Health each year a service plan, which represents the level of services which the HSE is committed to providing given the funding which the Dáil has made available to it as part of the Estimates process.

The Health Service Executive submitted its 2008 Service Plan to me in November 2007 following which I approved it. The Plan provides for the delivery of the existing level of service which the HSE will provide in 2008. The Pre-budget Outlook (incorporating the pre-budget Estimates for Public Services) provided for a net amount (both current and capital) for the HSE of €12.04 billion to fund these services.

The HSE has also submitted an Addendum to the Service Plan which sets out the new developments and service priorities identified and agreed by Government and which were announced in Budget 2008. The Revised Estimates Volume for Public Services 2008, which incorporates the Budget 2008 changes, provides for a gross allocation (both current and capital) for the HSE Vote as €14.93 billion. This amount includes an estimate for Appropriations -in-Aid of €2.6 billion giving a net provision to the HSE for 2008 of €12.33 billion.