Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 95: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the process by which her Department and the Health Service Executive has made inputs to the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programme report proposals regarding health and personal social services; her views on these proposals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39273/09]

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has evaluated the proposals in the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes Report as they relate to health and children; her views on the proposals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39283/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 125: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the general review of the health services currently in hand or concluded; if she has specified or identified any particular service or facility likely to be restricted, curtailed or terminated arising from budgetary or other considerations; if she has adopted the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programme as it applies to her Department in part or in full; if particular hospitals, health centres or primary care facilities have been targeted for closure or downsizing; if it is intended to ensure delivery of the full range of services in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39267/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 95, 118 and 125 together.

The Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes met with officials from my Department and the Health Service Executive in February 2009 and my Department also prepared and submitted to the Group an evaluation paper detailing the areas of expenditure under the Health Group of Votes. The recommendations of the Group will be considered as part of the Estimates and budgetary process for 2010 which is currently underway. Deliberations by the Government on the expenditure allocations for next year are likely to continue up until Budget time and it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage pending the outcome of those deliberations. The very difficult financial position facing the Exchequer will obviously require very careful management across all areas of expenditure.