Politicians and practitioners label Budget 2024's health spending a 'missed opportunity' 

Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe said the overall health budget is a significant investment, saying: 'Ireland spends more of its national income on health than most European countries.' Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

Healthcare spending of €22.5bn announced in Budget 2024 has already been criticised as insufficient to meet rising demand by doctors and opposition politicians.

The budget has been the focus of contention with the HSE, already estimating a shortfall of up to €1.1bn in this year’s spending.

This year’s budget includes “an €808m increase in core current funding” for population and demand increases, said Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe today.

Over €1bn was allocated for covid work including vaccinations and Ukraine, with €1.23bn for construction through the national development plan.

Details are expected tomorrow of plans around hospital waiting lists, recruitment, and additional mental health funding.

Up to last year, disability services funding was also part of the health budget. 

This now comes under the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, which was granted €64m for this alongside increased core funding. Some 90 extra residential beds and more personal assistant hours are among the changes. 

A one-off payment of €400 was announced for groups including people with disabilities and carers.

Mr Donohue said the overall health budget is a significant investment, saying: “Ireland spends more of its national income on health than most European countries.” 

However, he called for a focus on “productivity, better financial governance, and consolidating funded capacity”. 

Social Democrats health spokeswoman Róisín Shortall described the one-off payments as a “temporary sticking plaster”. 

The one-off nature of these payments is not just inadequate, it is completely misjudged and it is even insulting.

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association said the budget is insufficient to “address the decade-long public hospital capacity deficits that are the root causes of the unacceptable public hospital waiting lists”.

The Irish Medical Organisation described the budget as “a missed opportunity” to meet demand.

“It is disingenuous to talk of overspends in healthcare when we consistently fail to provide for the needs of patients,” they warned.