Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will make a statement on cost saving measures she plans introducing in the second half of 2008; if such measures will affect the delivery of front line services to the public; the programmes that will be postponed or discontinued as a result of such cost savings. [27310/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The budgetary consolidation measures decided by Government, 8 July 2008 will ensure that we can continue on a sound fiscal basis which will support economic growth and provide for improved public services into the future.

Within the Health Group of Votes, the 2008 Budget provided for an additional €1.16 billion expenditure in 2008 bringing the total to €16.156 billion.

A total of €144.35m is to be saved within the health sector this year.

The intention is that this amount will be saved through a combination of the following:

(i) savings of €85m in 2008 arising from the delay in implementing the new nursing home support scheme, the Fair Deal;

(ii) savings of €38m in 2008 arising from the slower than expected roll-out of new developments provided for in the December 2007 budget;

(iii) savings of €21.35m to be identified in administrative costs across the Department and all agencies other than the HSE to include payroll, advertising, procurement, consultancy; and in other schemes within Vote 39 (Department of Health & Children) and Vote 41 (Office of the Minister for Children).

These savings will not affect the provision of health services to patients and clients or the HSE capital plan in 2008.