Budget 2023 saw a record allocation of €24 billion to the health Vote. This increased funding reflects the Government's ongoing commitment to resourcing the HSE to deal with a range of pressures and includes a range of new investments to deliver on the Sláintecare reform agenda. As part of the planning for service delivery for 2023, extensive engagements took place between the Department of Health and the HSE on managing the financial risks for 2023 and areas for savings and efficiencies were identified as part of …

As I said, based on the figures that have been made available to me today, the current deficit was €642 million-----

I know that. I am answering the question. The current deficit was €642 million to the end of June. That is the publicly available figure at the moment. I can tell Deputy Shortall what actions are being taken to address the HSE deficit. An initial minimum target reduction of 10% on agency costs has been brought in, with effect from August, across both the acute and community settings. There is a pause in the growth of management and administrative grades. A target has been set of reducing management consultancy cost…

The black hole of €2 billion referred to by the Deputy has not been verified. As I stated, the figure up to the end of June-----

Thank you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. The deficit has been verified at €642 million up to the end of June. As I stated, the HSE is taking significant actions to address this. For example, a State claims task force has been established to reduce the overall cost of claims.

I do not think this is a back-and-forth discussion. Deputy Shortall got her opportunity to ask a question.

Extensive efforts are being made to recruit across all sectors. Deputy Shortall needs to be fair as well. The main overrun is across acute services and emergency departments. Spending on disability services, mental health and older people is not over budget at all. The over budget spending is in the acute sector where the demand is overwhelming for many hospitals.

I thank the Deputy for his question. As he will be aware, I have prioritised the clinical programmes since I came into this role. I am now heading into my fourth budget. The Government’s clear commitment to enhancing mental health services is shown by significant mental health funding increases in recent years and 2023 saw a record budget for mental health of €1.2 billion. Budget 2023 delivered almost €58 million in additional funding and a further €10 million in once-off funding for much-needed minor capital works…

The Deputy hit the nail on the head about multi-annual funding. I have secured 800 posts since I took over this role. We are currently recruiting for clinical programmes this year. Whether the money was secured in budget 2021, 2022 or 2023, that does not really matter when a child is in front of one of these clinicians. What really matters is that money was provided for ongoing services across clinical programmes. As regards new development funding, it takes 18 months to put a full clinical multidisciplinary team i…

The clinical programmes have been expanded across the country for the past three years. The Deputy stated that he met Lucena. I met it last week. It has two new ADHD teams that were approved this year and are in place. I was delighted to hear that. As regards psychosis, many of the clinical programmes are originally started on a pilot basis and then rolled out. I travelled to Sligo this year, where there is a new psychosis team in place that is doing phenomenal work. I take the point being made by the Deputy. He kn…

I thank the Deputy for the question. The three Waterford Deputies sitting in the House could probably have written the answer such was the cross-party collaboration since 2016 on the second cath lab. As the Deputy will be aware, the programme for Government committed to the delivery of a second cath lab at University Hospital Waterford. Funding was allocated in the 2019 capital plan for the provision of this second cath lab. The Minister, Deputy Donnelly, is pleased to report that the second cath lab opened on 4 Se…

I will give the Deputy some more information. The HSE has confirmed there are 24 whole-time equivalents approved to support operation of the second cath lab, with 21 whole-time equivalents currently in post. The HSE has confirmed that interviews for two healthcare assistants are scheduled for 21 September, which is today, and the recruitment campaign for a senior cardiac psychologist - one of three for the second cath lab - is under way. The hospital will use a combination of day beds and recovery spaces to support…

I agree with what both Deputies have said. I take a lot of positivity from the current situation. In order for the new cath lab to open we needed 24 whole-time equivalents and 21 are currently in place. At a time when recruitment is quite challenging across health services that is very positive. Two more healthcare assistants are being interviewed today and the recruitment campaign for the senior cardiac physiologist, one of three for the second cath lab, is under way. At a time when recruitment is challenging acro…

I thank Deputy Griffin for the question and for his constant advocacy for West Kerry Community Hospital. It is not the first time the Deputy has raised it here on the floor of the Dáil. West Kerry Community Hospital provides important and valued services for people in the west Kerry area. The hospital has 46 beds registered, of which 35 are long-stay beds and 11 are short-stay beds, including two respite and one palliative care bed. The maximum number of people who can be safely accommodated in the hospital are cur…

I have made it crystal clear in the Department, working with the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and to the new chief executive of the HSE, Mr. Bernard Gloster, that I am not prepared to see any more public beds close. It is as simple as that. The statistics for the past 12 months show it is not the case that we have closed public beds. Let me refer to the current situation on care for older people provided in private and voluntary nursing homes and community nursing units such as West Kerry Community Hospital. …

I agree with what the Deputy says. Pending the recruitment of additional staff, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare plans to increase bed capacity at West Kerry Community Hospital. That is what I am trying to achieve. It is important to have community nursing units giving people options regarding where they would like to spend the latter days of their lives. The Sláintecare model is to give the right care at the right time, as close to home as possible. We are aware that there are challenges in recruitment. I do not al…

I thank the Deputy for raising this really important question. As he will be aware, the HSE interim model of care for long Covid is being implemented, building on existing service provision, in addition to the establishment of new services across GP and community services and acute hospitals to ensure a national service is in place for all who need it. In 2023, €6.6 million was allocated for the continued development of these services. Long Covid clinics are currently operational in Cork University Hospital, Univer…

I thank the Deputy for his question. He has really hit on something interesting. The long Covid service remains relatively new and work is ongoing to further establish, resource and embed these clinics. However, he is quite right in what he has said. This is new. Covid was new to us in 2020, 2021 and 2022. We now all know people who have long Covid symptoms. It is important that there are supports for them. Service development and planning is ongoing and recruitment into established clinics continues. As I said, th…

I fully agree with the Deputy. The survey under way will also assess the severity and range of symptoms associated with long Covid, and give an indication of the level and range of services required to adequately respond to long Covid in Ireland. As I said, the analysis of the survey is under way.

I have heard the Deputy raise the question previously. I will be honest with him; I am not over the detail of this but if he wants to share his constituent's concerns with me, I will make sure he gets an answer from the Minister, Deputy Donnelly's, office. I am aware there are certain areas in the country where insulin pumps are not as available as they are in others. It is a bit of a post code lottery. I will certainly raise the issue of funding for this with the Minister. When a person is diagnosed with type 1 di…