Ministers at odds with HSE over shortfall

A senior government financial enforcer has admitted there are “disagreements” between ministers and the HSE over how to avoid a possible €50m shortfall in planned health service savings under the public sector pay deal.

The Dáil’s influential Public Accounts Committee (PAC) heard that the HSE could fall well short of the €150m in savings it is obliged to deliver via the Haddington Road Agreement this year.

Fine Gael TD for Wicklow Simon Harris raised concerns that the HSE may only manage budget reductions of just over €100m via the pay and perks plan agreed with unions over the summer as a replacement to the Croke Park Deal.