Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

537. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department is engaging in pre-Budget discussions with a view to protecting existing services for personal assistance services to persons with disabilities [33351/13]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The level of funding available for the health budget and the extent of the savings required in the health sector are being considered as part of the Estimates and budgetary process for 2014 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.

The level of funding which the HSE will allocate to specific services in 2014 will have to be determined by the Executive in the context of the overall level of resources which will be made available to it next year, and priorities identified in the National Service Plan.