Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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1049. To ask the Minister for Health if he has established an office for budgetary responsibility in his Department; if not, when he will establish it; and the resources that will be in the office [14880/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Ensuring Ireland’s health system can deliver the best health outcomes and the best value for the citizen through optimising resources is a key part of the remit of the Department of Health.

In the last twelve months the resources assigned to budgetary oversight, expenditure and forecasting within my Department have expanded substantially in recognition of the ongoing challenges in relation to financial management within the health system. This additional resourcing has facilitated greater oversight and accountability in relation to budgetary performance. In addition the Health Budgetary Oversight Group and the Committee on Budgetary Oversight provide an additional layer of budgetary oversight in relation to health expenditure.

With the establishment of new Department portfolios following the formation of the new Government, it is important for a Department to review its resourcing to align it with any revision to the previous portfolio. An Office for Budget Responsibility will be considered as part of this review of resourcing.