Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 January 2026
453. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the rationale behind any supplementary funding requests made by the HSE in 2024 and 2025; the way in which such requests align with overall fiscal responsibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7270/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraSupplementary Estimates for the HSE are brought forward by the Department of Health where necessary to ensure the continued delivery of essential public health services.
In July 2024, the Department of Health agreed a two-year expenditure arrangement with the Department of Public Expenditure, covering mid-2024 through 2025, which provided an additional €1.745 billion to re-base the Health Vote and place it on a sustainable footing.
This agreement resulted in a Supplementary Estimate of €1.745 billion in 2024 to address legacy and emerging service pressures, including unfunded staff growth, increased demand linked to demographic and population changes, high post-COVID demand, and higher than expected energy, drug and medicine costs.
For 2025, the Health budget was further strengthened through this re-basing, with €1.5 billion of the 2024 supplementary retained permanently as part of the two-year settlement. This enabled the introduction of realistic budgetary controls, aligned with the new regional HSE structure, strengthening accountability for financial discipline and performance.
As a result, the scale of over-expenditure reduced substantially. A Supplementary Estimate of €302 million was approved in 2025, significantly lower than in previous years. Of this, €21 million was not required and was surrendered to the Exchequer.
The 2025 supplementary largely reflected demand-led pressures, including acute hospital activity, elderly residential care, and drugs and medicines under the PCRS, as well as once-off support for Section 38 hospitals. While significant savings were delivered by the Regions, these were not sufficient to fully offset demand growth.
Overall, there is clear evidence of stronger financial performance and discipline in the HSE. The priority is to continue building on this through enhanced regional accountability, while maximising the impact of available funding to deliver the best possible health services.
