‘Services protected’ despite HSE debt
Public Sector Reform Minister Brendan Howlin expressed concern that the HSE budget could go some €500m into the red this year, but key policy areas would be protected.
Mr Howlin insisted that all allowances in the State sector would be reviewed in light of recent controversies.
However, he insisted some payments called allowances were in fact part of long- standing pay agreements.
He hit back at claims Department of Environment workers received an “eat at your desk” payment, saying the money amounted to €1.90 a day and was received by people working in the construction field without access to food outlets.
Mr Howlin said the reform aspects of the Croke Park deal were just as important as the pay side of it and both sections of the agreement needed to be pushed forward.
Mr Howlin has written to Health Minister James Reilly expressing concern at the HSE overspend which now stands at some €200m.
Mr Reilly has suggested cuts to the health pay roll may be the only way to cut the deficit.
Transport Minister Leo Varadkar provoked uproar and sparked a public Coalition rift — with a dressing down from Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore — when he called for parts of the Croke Park deal, such as incremental increases, to be unpicked.
