HSE gives no details on cutting deficit

Extraordinary scenes unfolded at a meeting of the Dáil’s spending watchdog after health officials refused to spell out exactly how the HSE’s budget would be balanced by year’s end.

Fianna Fáil TD Sean Fleming stormed out after telling Department of Health secretary general and HSE chairman, Ambrose McLoughlin, that he was a disgrace and unfit for office.

But several Government members of the Public Accounts Committee criticised Mr Fleming’s comments.

The row came amid ongoing controversy over the HSE’s budgetary over-run and the cutbacks being implemented to address it.

The latest figures show the overspend reached €374m by the end of September, compared with €329m at the end of August.

The PAC called senior department and HSE officials before it yesterday to discuss how the budget was being managed amid fears the over-run could reach €500m by year’s end.

Usually, however, the PAC examines only historical, rather than current, spending, and the health officials expressed concern that they were being called to discuss this year’s budget.

Both Mr McLoughlin and HSE head Tony O’Brien said in opening statements that while they wished to co-operate, they could not discuss policy matters.

This meant they could not discuss in detail efforts to balance the budget, as they did not wish to affect ongoing issues such as negotiations on drug savings.

However, their statements were criticised by PAC chairman John McGuinness, who said the committee was simply trying to get factual answers on the over-run and did not need a lecture.

And when Mr McLoughlin responded to an initial question on drug savings by saying the matter was being dealt with and he had nothing further to add, Mr Fleming reacted with fury.

“You should resign. You are a disgrace,” he said before walking out in protest.

Labour TD Michael McCarthy and Fine Gael TD Paschal Donohoe disassociated themselves from Mr Fleming’s remarks, saying no public official should be treated in such a manner.

Fine Gael TD Simon Harris suggested people needed to “chillax”, take a step back and ensure there was neither stonewalling nor grandstanding.

Mr McLoughlin later said he expected Mr Fleming to contact him personally following the outburst.

During the meeting, the health officials gave the latest figures on the overspend.

Of the €374m over-run at the end of September, about €303m related to spending and €69m to money owed to the HSE — mostly by private insurers for treatment costs in public hospitals. About €130m in cuts have been announced in an effort to tackle the overrun. The officials said other savings would be made, but that they could not discuss their detail.