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HEALTH MINISTER LEO Varadkar has been granted a supplementary health budget for 2014 of €680 million — almost €200 more than the figure he had been lobbying for.
Varadkar had been asking for €500 million to fill the hole in his his annual budget.
It’s typical for supplementary budgets for Health to be announced towards the end of the year, and Varadkar said the funding would help account for “increased levels of medical activity, drugs and therapies, medical appliances, the cost of State claims, and frontline staff”.
Of the total supplementary payment, €510m is going on the HSE deficit, while €54 million is required for payments by the HSE to the State Claims Agency.
Additionally, €5 million is being allocated towards drug programmes for high-risk Hepatitis C patients, and €3 million is going towards a new ‘delayed discharge’ scheme for patients.
“The timing of income collection and working capital requirements associated with prior years contributes a further €108 million cash requirement in 2014,” the Department said in a statement.
Fianna Fáil health spokesperson Billy Kelliher said the payment was “the direct result of the fundamentally flawed 2014 health budget”.
“The fallout from last year’s bogus budget has resulted in exorbitant waiting lists, increases in the number of patients on trolleys and long delays across a range of services,” Kelleher said — calling on the Minister to explain what impact the overrun would have on the health budget in 2015.
“The impact of these ill-thought out funding allocations are leading to diminished services across the health sector and will compound the pressure on already stretched resources,” Kelleher added.
Varadkar said the large supplementary budget “allows us to bring forward some spending from 2015 into December of this year”.
“It will have no impact whatsoever on the budget for the Department of Health for next year and the HSE Service Plan announced last week is unaffected and the figures remain unchanged.”
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Great story, lovely to see people getting a permanent home, wishing them health and happiness in their new abodes.
Trust a politician to turn up for the foto
I love my brick. Foto, Foto…
There are 2 houses boarded up on my street in dublin 9. They have been foe over a year since the last families were evicted for drug dealing. There is another around the corner that was vacated and is now used as a changing room for the local soccer club. So there’s 3 3 bed homes not being used. What the fook are the council playing at.
It’s very positive… We could complain and moan, that someone one had to die outside the Dáil for things like this to happen but realise it’s A good news story on the back of a very tough year for the likes of poor John Corry.. Let’s hope they have a good Christmas and great credit The likes of Lord Mayor Christy Burke & all involved..
No Ray,these houses haven’t been planned, built and equipped since that poor man died near the Dail!
But I take your point. Never in the history of our decrepit little state have a government responded so quickly to a tragedyli,e that, but at least they are responding which can only be a good thing. It’s up to us, the public, to ensure that it’s not a just pre christmas, pre election stunt. We need to keep the pressure on to make sure the policy is continued and also spread nationwide. While the homeless crises in Dublin is desperate, and the govt response is making the headlines, other cities like Cork and Waterford have a similar problem which are not being tackled.
great news to hear, i wonder how long they were waiting? just 5 f****in houses though, hard work from Alone mind, they get little support only from what we give :/ and to think this government could provide 500 if they wanted but would rather pay others.
Its so good to know these few people are living in their own homes for Christmas, long may they enjoy and hopefully by next Christmas no one will be sleeping on the streets at least those who don’t want to. Happy Christmas to you.
I used to work with ALONE when i was a teenager, very long time ago, need to get finger out
and get back there , Merry Christmas to one and all, xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Once it is not a publicity stunt? What about homeless families too?
Isn’t it great that these people can now have a cup of tea by the fire in their own homes ! All the best to them
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