HSE Budget: Pay - €30m incremental rise ‘not funded’ in budget

The HSE service plan has warned a planned €30m incremental pay increase to staff has “not been funded” as part of its budget for next year.

The health service budget document for 2016 makes the position clear, saying the planned spending — which cabinet stressed on Tuesday cannot be avoided — has not been properly costed or accounted for by the system.

On page 10 of the report, the HSE states that “unavoidable public pay policy and approved pay cost growth in areas which have not been funded, including staff increments” are a risk to ensuring the plan is implemented. On page 28 it goes further, stating that while there is €118m available for the Lansdowne Road agreement, “some unavoidable pay-related costs, identified as part of the estimates process, were not funded within the overall allocation”.