HSE under-spends by €55m over delays

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) has been forced to carry over €55 million into next year because of delays in the Government agreeing on spending on new building developments.

There are now concerns that the inability to spend the full capital budget of €550 million this year could have knock-on implications for projects planned for 2007.

The HSE confirmed yesterday that the under-spend was around €64 million but stressed that it was now working on a number of strategies to minimise the surplus.