Written answers
Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Department of Health
Budget 2026
David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context
752. To ask the Minister for Health the breakdown of all measures contained in new funding in Budget 2026, in tabular form. [56607/25]
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context
The additional funding for current expenditure in Budget 2026 for the Health Vote is €1.5 billion, bringing the total current allocation to €25.8 billion. This includes funding to maintain existing levels of service and for new service developments, including funding for the recruitment of 3,300 additional whole time equivalent staff in 2026.
The specific measures to be prioritised for additional funding in 2026 will be set out in a Letter of Determination to the HSE, which will be issued within 21 days of Budget 2026. This letter will reflect my key priorities for 2026 of improved access, quality and safety for those who use our services and value for money for the public more broadly.
The HSE will then prepare its National Service Plan for 2026, to be submitted to the Department for approval within 21 days of receipt of the Letter of Determination, setting out how the HSE will operationalise those priorities.
Once the Letter of Determination and the National Service Plan have been finalised, a breakdown of all measures to be progressed in 2026 will be available.
David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context
753. To ask the Minister for Health the total existing levels of service provision in Budget 2026. [56608/25]
David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context
754. To ask the Minister for Health the breakdown of expansion of services funding in Budget 2026 by subhead, separating existing levels of service funding from new measures funding, in tabular form. [56609/25]
David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context
755. To ask the Minister for Health the detail of all new measures of funding in Budget 2026, broken down by line item, excluding any existing levels of service funding. [56610/25]
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context
I propose to take Questions Nos. 754 and 755 together.
The current Health budget will grow by €1.5 billion in 2026, an increase of 6.2% compared to the Budget 2025 allocation. This will fund an increase of 3,300 whole time equivalents (WTE) in the workforce in 2026. The detailed allocation of this funding and workforce will form part of the preparation of the HSE National Service Plan for 2026.
No comments