Internal row has erupted in government over health service's budget crisis

The Tánaiste told the Irish Examiner that there has been 'an over-personalisation' of criticism of the health budget. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

An internal row has erupted in government over the health service's budget crisis, with Tánaiste Micheál Martin defending the health minister from a flurry of criticism by Fine Gael members.

Stephen Donnelly has come under fire for his department's management of its finances, with HSE boss Bernard Gloster saying that his allocation for next year will be below what is required.

Despite some €22.5bn being allocated for health spending in last week's budget - an increase of €808m, a spokesperson for Mr Donnelly last night confirmed that the minister feels the health service remains "underfunded".

Several Fine Gael sources have hit out at what they say has been an effort to "place the blame" on Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe over the decision not to grant significant extra health spending.

Fine Gael figures have said Fianna Fáil “shouldn’t have to be reminded that their party leader signed off on the budget too.”

The Tánaiste told the Irish Examiner that there has been "an over-personalisation" of criticism of the health budget, with much of what has been levelled at Mr Donnelly described as being too personal. 

Mr Martin said, "The government in its entirety was responsible for budgets. But we are conscious and we do have a cabinet subcommittee that meets regularly.”

Opposition parties have called on Mr Donohoe and Mr Donnelly to come before the Dáil to explain the health service's budget allocation, with Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane also asking Department of Health Secretary-General Robert Watt and HSE CEO Bernard Gloster to appear before the Oireachtas Health Committee.

A senior government source told the Irish Examiner that closer controls are needed in monitoring the HSE's spend. 

“The HSE will get a bailout this year and next year but we want to better understand where the money goes," they said.

“The HSE will most likely spend away and be over budget by February.

“They don’t ask permission or authorisation to overspend. They just do it. We need to put some control on it all."

Meanwhile, talks were continuing late into last night in an effort to avert a strike by thousands of agency healthcare and social work staff.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions was in talks with the department at the Workplace Relations Commission over a pay disparity which sees these workers paid less than those directly employed by the HSE for the same roles.

Workers employed across more than a dozen community and voluntary sector agencies which are funded by the HSE and other state agencies are expected to take part in the strike.

The action is being taken over a pay gap between agency workers and HSE staff, which unions say is leading to retention issues.