€158m bailout for Department of Health

More savage cuts to the health service could be on the cards as the Government admitted it will have to bail out the Department of Health again as its overspend skyrocketed to almost €160m in first five months of the year.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny admitted the Department of Health would need another supplementary budget by the autumn, but he again reaffirmed his confidence in Health Minister James Reilly, despite the minister facing pressure from his own party TDs to step aside.

His comments came as Mr Reilly earlier told the Dáil that his department’s overspend has so far amounted to some €158m for the first five months of this year.