Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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600. To ask the Minister for Health the way it is intended to save €286m in the Health Service Executive gross pay bill in 2013 as outlined in NSP 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2445/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The HSE National Service Plan 2013 provides for savings of €52 million as a result of such reduction in staff numbers.

In order to mitigate the impact on frontline services of the reduction in employment numbers, the priority is to reform how health services are delivered in order to ensure a more productive and cost effective health system. Therefore, the HSE is using the provisions of the Public Service Agreement to bring about greater flexibilities in work practices and rosters, redeployment and other changes to achieve more efficient delivery of services. The National Service Plan provides for a total of €84 million to be saved under this heading.

Further very significant savings are being sought in the negotiations with the public service unions currently under way. The health sector is required to achieve savings of €150 million in 2013 under this process.