Bruton: Govt is tackling HSE overspend

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton has said that budget targets have to be hit in the area of health, just like everywhere else.

It follows the seventh review of our books by the bailout Troika, which yesterday sounded a warning about the HSE overspend.

It is reported the body was running a deficit of over €281.5m up to two months ago.

The Cabinet has vetoed cost-cutting proposals from the executive itself, which included targeting mental health budgets and curtailing elective admissions.

Instead, the HSE has been told to target overtime levels, sick leave, and the €200m cost of agency staff, as well as reform of drug prescribing by doctors.

Minister Bruton has inisisted that Government is tackling the problem.

"I know that the Health Committee of Cabinet had a meeting last week - the Minister for Finance, Minister for Public Expenditure, Minister for Health, the Taoiseach and so on," Minister Bruton said.

"Tey have gone through the details and they are putting a plan in place to hit those targets."