Fraught meeting heard health service needs €1.392bn in extra funding this year
Donnelly Meeting Stephen Said Received Health The Worked Mittee Last He Invitation To Minister Meet The Through Officials Weekend And The To Thursday, Deadlines
A testy meeting between Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and the Oireachtas health committee heard the health services require €1.392bn in additional funding for 2022.
Committee chair Seán Crowe highlighted the extent of the crisis facing patients, saying: “I’d a constituent who was four hours watching her mother die on the floor, waiting on an ambulance to come, for a journey that could take maybe 10 minutes in an ambulance.”
Committee members expressed frustration at only receiving the supplementary estimates at 8.30am on Wednesday, less than two hours before the meeting.
Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane said this was “absolutely outrageous” and the figures were not presented in a comprehensive way.
Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall said they could not assess the figures properly.
“Our job is to engage with the figures and ensure that we are getting value for money for the taxpayer,” she said.
There appeared to be confusion between the department officials and the committee over the timing of the meeting.
Mr Donnelly said he received the invitation last Thursday, and officials worked through the weekend to meet committee deadlines.
However, Ms Shortall was under the impression the date was suggested by department secretary-general Robert Watt. As tempers frayed, the chair put the meeting temporarily into private session.
The amount requested represents 6.5% of overall health expenditure in 2022 and would bring the total spend for this year to €22.575bn.
When the meeting resumed, members queried the net €1.18bn extra required for Covid-19, bringing the overall projected spend to €1.878bn.
This additional request makes up 85% of the additional money sought, which irritated committee members in light of crisis in other areas.
It includes €118m for PPE, €403m for test and trace, and €466m for vaccination, as well as €189m for Covid-bonus payments.
Mr Donnelly said: “This was driven by the fact that the assumptions underpinning Estimates 2022 — that Covid-19 impacts would diminish and consequently spend would be considerably lower. This did not transpire.”
Mr Cullinane wanted a breakdown between the original budget for Covid-19 and the extra requests, but this was not available.
Ms Shortall queried why the State Claims Agency needs an extra €95m, which she estimated as an increase of 22%.
Department officials were unable to provide an exact reason, saying it relates to claims.
The minister told Fine Gael TD Colm Burke a more strategic approach was needed to maternity claims which account for 45% of claims, including non-judicial mechanisms.
In relation to the new Children’s Hospital, he said the final cost would be “significantly more” than the €1.433bn approved capital.
“The draw-down to date is about 80% of that, so about €1.148bn. The capital allocation this year is €352m, and the drawdown of that to date is about 70% of that which is about €247m,” he said.
“The projection is that €342m of the €352m will be drawn down this year.”
In relation to nursing home Covid costs, Minister of State Mary Butler told the committee €67.5m has been allocated in total for PPE. She did not have a figure for 2022.
Responding to Mr Crowe’s comments regarding the ambulance service, Mr Donnelly said “ a substantial amount of money” is going to the service.
He agreed with the committee more hospital beds were needed, but defended progress saying: “We are now significantly ahead of the Sláintecare target.”