New figures provided to Fianna Fáil Health Spokesperson Stephen Donnelly show that some €112 million in HSE funding for 2019 is on hold in the Department of Health.
Deputy Donnelly expressed his deep frustration at the withholding of the funds given the ongoing recruitment freeze in sections of the service due to budget overruns.
He said, “The 2019 HSE service plan said that some €198.5m in development funding was being held by the Department of Health and would be released to the HSE on approval of implementation plans and commencement of specific developments.
“This funding is meant to enhance or expand existing services, including responding to demographic pressures, and to commence new approved service developments. However, as it stands just €86.8 million had been released despite the fact we’re half way through the year – in a service strapped for cash this is deeply concerning.
“It would appear that the HSE has been late in submitting plans. I hope the approval process is not as protracted. The demand for new and expanded services is not going to diminish, quite the opposite in fact and the HSE has an obligation to bring forward implementation plans urgently”, he concluded.
