Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2026
894. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she will direct the HSE to establish a distinct, trackable budget line for obesity-related healthcare expenditure; the timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47827/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget 2026 provides for a significant increase in overall health funding, with an additional €1.5 billion in current expenditure and €100 million in capital investment, bringing total health funding to its highest ever level. This increased funding supports the delivery of existing services, addresses demographic and cost pressures, and provides for a targeted expansion of services and workforce across the system.
The HSE budget is not structured on a disease-by-disease basis. For 2026, the funding approach is regional and population-based - the Department sets the overall budget, priorities and targets, the HSE CEO allocates funding and workforce resources to the Regions, and Regions then prioritise resources locally within that framework to deliver integrate care. Integrated care depends on flexible, pooled budgets rather than separate condition-specific budget lines.
In that context, obesity-related expenditure is not held as a distinct budget line and cannot be separately identified as a single total. Relevant spending arises across a range of services and settings – including acute hospitals, primary care, community services, mental health, medicines and public health – so, while some related investment areas may be identified on an indicative basis, they do not represent the totality of spend because the health budget is not allocated by condition.
