James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 51: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of respite beds that have been closed around the country; the number of respite beds she expects to close over the coming months; the provision her Department made to offer alternative respite services to those affected by these closures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16351/08]

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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The development of Services for Older People is a priority for the Government. This is reflected in the funding committed to services for older people in Budgets 2006, 2007 and 2008. In 2006, the Government funded a significant expansion of services for older people with a full year cost of €150m. In 2007 a full year package of €255m was allocated for services for older people. Budget 2008 provided an additional €135m bringing the total spend over the last three years to €540m.

In this context, over €16m has been provided in the last three years for new Day/Respite Care services. The recent Budget will allow an additional 1,245 clients nationally to avail of new Respite places and brings the total projected Day Care provision by the Health Service Executive to around 21,300 places by the end of this year.

The HSE have committed through it's National Service Plan 2008 to deliver services within its Vote provided by the Oireachtas. It will manage the provision of respite care beds within this context and also recognising the priority the Government and the Executive have given to services for older people.

It is a matter for the Executive to manage service delivery, both nationally and locally, within its budget and in line with overall health policy priorities. Therefore, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the particular issue raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the HSE to arrange to have the matter investigated in detail and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on the cost-cutting measures proposed to her Department by the Health Service Executive in order to address their projected budget deficit of €300 million; if these include, as reported, reductions in beds, curtailment of accident and emergency, restrictions on medical cards and diversion of funds earmarked for developments for people with disabilities and older people; the decisions made on these proposals; her views on requesting a supplementary estimate in order to reduce the damage to services such cuts would cause; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16231/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The 2008 post budget gross current expenditure allocation for the HSE, excluding the provision for the long-stay repayment scheme, is €14.2 billion. This represents an increase of 9% on the 2007 allocation and 8% on the 2007 outturn. The services to be provided by the HSE in 2008 are set out in the National Service Plan which I approved in November, 2007 and the Addendum to the Service Plan which I approved in February, 2008. Both of these documents have been laid before this House and published.

In its Exchequer Issues return to end April the HSE is reporting an overspend against profile of €95m, excluding the long-stay repayments scheme. I have had discussions recently with the Chairman and CEO of the HSE about these emerging budget pressures. The HSE is now considering what steps it should take to bring spending levels back within target while still meeting my policy priorities in relation to service delivery. When I receive the HSE's proposals in this regard I will be reporting to Government as part of the normal expenditure management process.