Health budget will be €500m over

Leo Varadkar has confirmed the Department of Health will overrun its Budget by about €500m this year.

Minister for Health said he doesn't have an "exact figure" for next year's Budget, amid reports he warned his Cabinet colleagues that he can't afford any more cutbacks.

"What that really is, is an overspend of somewhere in the region of 3-4%, at a time when demand and activity is increasing," he said.

Varadkar said he accepts reducing the deficit below 3% is the Government's chief consideration, but said the Health Service can't handle increased demand on reduced budgets.

"While it's possible to deliver the same level of activity every year on a slightly reduced budget, it's not really possible to increase activity and cut budgets at the same time."

The Minister said no decision has been made on what diseases or conditions will automatically warrant a discretionary medical card, but that the expert panel, led by Professor Frank Keane, is due to report to him by the end of the month.

In a separate interview today on Morning Ireland, Varadkar said that while tax cuts are generally welcomed by the population, he does not believe most citizens would prefer an extra €5 or so a week if it meant damaging the health system.