Harney warns of health service cutbacks next year

THERE will be cutbacks in the public health service next year, Health Minister Mary Harney has warned.

She said the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, had made it clear that the Government would be looking for €3 billion in cuts from public expenditure.

As the spender of 27% of the budget, the cuts would impact on the public health services, she warned.

As well as the cuts in public expenditure, there was the moratorium on recruitment and the need to take at least 1,500 out of the public health service every year.

Ms Harney was speaking about the major challenge facing the new chief executive of the Health Service Executive, Cathal Magee.

She said he came to the position with enormous experience of management, both in the public and private sectors and had worked in the health service before.

“I think he is more than aware of what the challenge is and taking it on at a good time in his career,” said Ms Harney.

Asked about the larger than planned salary being paid to Mr Magee, Ms Harney said it was substantially reduced from what he had been earning.

“It is a big salary but he is going to be managing a €15 billion budget and is going to get the same salary as Prof Brendan Drumm was getting on his exit,” she said.

The minister said chief executives of health systems were paid substantially more than in Ireland and pointed out that no performance related bonus would be paid to Mr Magee.