Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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408. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 173 of 22 October 2019, the amount of this change that stems from increased pay and allowances; the amount owing to maintaining existing levels of service; the amount for demographic changes; the amount for the provision of new and expanded services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44595/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The current government has maintained its commitment to investment in health services since 2016. Each year the Health Service Executive sets out in its National Service Plan the allocation of the funding received from government for the delivery of health services for the year.

From the following table the Deputy will see the majority of the funding has been allocated to pay cost pressures and maintaining existing levels of service, taking account of demographic changes. These allocations are balanced with new developments seeking to continuously improve the Irish health system and the growing costs arising from pensions and the state claims agency.

2017 saw the commencement of the unwinding of the savings delivered under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009, this combined with other national pay agreements since 2016 has had a significant impact on the funding required to address pay cost pressures annually.

Significant funding is also allocated towards maintaining existing levels of service, however dealing with a growing and ageing population, more acute health and social care requirements, increased demand for new and existing drugs and the rising costs of health technology, continues to pose a financial challenge in maintaining levels of services within the funding available.

The increases provided in the Department of Health are predominantly attributable to the National Treatment Purchase Fund, the Sláintecare Integration Fund and a 2019 anticipated shortfall in Appropriations in Aid.