Huge budget overrun warning

THE State’s health service budget overrun could reach half a billion euro by the year end, hospital consultants warned yesterday.

The Irish Hospital Consultants’ Association (IHCA) said it was seriously concerned Government spending plans would not cover higher healthcare costs.

Spending by the Health Service Executive’s (HSE) National Hospitals Office was almost 6% over budget during the first six months of this year, equivalent to €280 million in a full year.