Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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412. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the €58.5 million being held by his Department for specific initiatives, namely, in the area of mental health, €35 million; for primary care, €13.5 million; for therapy services for young persons, €8 million; and for the nursing task force pilot implementation, €2 million; if specific implementation plans for the release of these funds to the Health Service Executive are in place; if the €58.5 million will be released in full in 2016; and if not the amount of funding that will be released; and the detail of the funding which will be provided for each specific initiative. [5287/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The HSE have been notified that the approved level of net non-capital expenditure for 2016 is €12,931 million. In addition, the HSE have been advised that a further sum of €58.5 million is being held by the Department for further specific initiatives as outlined in the 2016 National Service Plan. The incorporation of this funding within the HSE's net non-capital determination will be undertaken as soon as detailed plans are agreed and developments commenced. Specific Plans have not yet been agreed with respect to these initiatives, but, it is expected that plans will be agreed and funding released for these initiatives as we progress through the year.

It is expected that the full €58.5 million in hold back funding will be released during 2016 in accordance with the 2016 Service Plan. However, due to the time required to prepare for the introduction of these initiatives during the year, the HSE will utilise €21.5 million in expected time related savings associated with this funding on a once-off basis to support the provision of home help, home care packages and transitional care beds and to fund an advance purchase agreement for vaccines in 2016. A more detailed analysis of how the time related savings are utilised is provided in the 2016 Service Plan.