HSE chief says Croke Park II deal vital

The head of the HSE has added to the pressure on medical unions to sign up to Croke Park II after insisting the plans are vital to safely cutting back health service over-spending.

HSE director-designate Tony O’Brien told the Oireachtas Health Committee yesterday the health service had been, by the end of March, already €27m over-budget.

No new concerns, he said, had emerged since the start of the year that will affect the budget.