Reilly: €108m health cut impossible

The Government’s final austerity budget is facing a major crisis halfway after Health Minister James Reilly said his department cannot achieve a fifth of its planned savings.

For the second day, he said it is not possible for the health service to achieve €108m of its €619m cuts — echoing concerns he aired last autumn.

Speaking at the launch of a multimillion-euro development at the Mater Hospital in Dublin, Dr Reilly said the system is attempting to meet all cabinet targets.