HSE budget disaster will not cause cuts next year - Reilly
The Minister for Health said the HSE's spending overrun in 2013 will not have a knock-on effect causing further cuts next year.
It was confirmed yesterday that the Health Service Executive will have overspent by €351m by the end of this year.
As a result the HSE will require a bailout of almost €200m in a supplementary budget, with the additional cost of the overrun being made up by savings within the department.
However, James Reilly said that cuts next year, if there are any, will not be a result of this year's overrun.
"Obviously, I have to go the Dáil and ensure that that happens before I count my chickens," he said of the supplementary budget he expects to receive.
"The challenge for next year is very very serious - there is no question or doubt about that. The last thing I will do as the Minister for Health and a doctor is disassemble our health service."
