James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 360: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of requests made by the Health Service Executive for approval to transfer funding allocated for a particular purpose or service to another service; the amount of money involved; the services from which the moneys were transferred from; the services to which the money was transferred to; the number of these requests which have been approved, refused and are awaiting a decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27346/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Under Public Financial Procedures it is possible to vire savings on one or more subheads to meet excess expenditure on another subhead or subheads in the same Vote with the sanction of the Department of Finance. However no request to vire monies from one sub-head to another within the HSE Vote has been made to date in 2008.

Under the terms of the Department of Finance sanction for the HSE Vote, specific sanction must be sought if the HSE wishes to use monies provided in the 2008 Budget for other purposes. Sanction has been sought and received from the Department of Finance for (i) the spending of €13 million from the Fair Deal provision of €110 million on 200 extra contract beds and (ii) the use of a further €12 million of these moneys for enhanced subvention and contract beds arising from increases in the cost of nursing home fees. These measures will assist older people and their families in advance of the completion and implementation of legislation on Fair Deal. No other requests for approval to transfer funding requiring sanction have been made this year.