Report: Healthcare facing €1bn cut in Budget

The country's healthcare bill is reportedly facing cuts totalling €1bn in next month's Budget.

A report in The Sunday Business Post also claims that the Garda pay and overtime bill is in line for a reduction of €100m, as negotiations on the Budget reach a crucial phase.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan is due to publish his pre-Budget report this week.

Minister Lenihan is expected to spell out the scale of the crisis facing the country next year if dramatic measures are not taken in the Budget.