Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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234. To ask the Minister for Health the way his Department has developed programme based budgeting in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31725/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Successful transformation of our health services requires a corresponding transformation of the existing funding model. The first stage in transforming this funding model is to clarify funding streams through the creation of directorates and corresponding programme based budgets. In Vote terms, programme based budgets have already been established for the Primary Care Reimbursement Service and NHSS - Fair Deal. During 2013, due to the imminent establishment of the Child and Family Agency, the determination of a Children and Family Services budget took primacy, given the need to transfer the provision from the Vote of the Health Service Executive to the Vote of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

My Department will continue to work with the HSE and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to develop a new Programme Based Budgeting system. However, given the multitude of financial systems in operation in the HSE, this work will be dependant on the development and roll out of an integrated financial management system. A detailed business case for a new finance operating model, including the procurement of a new Integrated Financial Management System for the wider health service, has been submitted to my Department. The business case is under consideration within my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.